Knoxville Senior AdvisorWhat is hospice care?
Hospice is comfort-focused care for someone whose doctor certifies a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness runs its usual course, provided by a team of nurses, aides, social workers, chaplains and volunteers wherever the patient lives.
HFC lists 15 licensed hospices with offices in the seven counties, among them Amedisys Hospice, an Adventa Company, Caris Healthcare, Covenant Hospice, Gentiva (Branch); hospices headquartered elsewhere can also serve East Tennessee addresses.
Who pays for hospice in Tennessee?
Medicare's hospice benefit covers the team, medications and equipment related to the terminal illness; TennCare and most private insurance also cover hospice. Room and board in a facility is not covered by the hospice benefit.
A patient can stop hospice at any time and return to regular Medicare coverage.
Can hospice be provided in Knoxville assisted living?
Yes. Tennessee lets an ACLF arrange hospice for a resident, and a resident on hospice may receive tube feeding, suctioning or IV therapy on an ongoing basis there, which lets many people stay in their apartment to the end.
Ask the ACLF which hospices it works with most often, and how night-time needs are covered.
How do we choose a hospice near Knoxville?
Ask how quickly a nurse responds after hours, how often aides visit, whether the hospice has inpatient beds for symptoms that cannot be managed at home, and how it supports family after a death.
You can choose any licensed hospice that serves your area, not only the one a hospital suggests.
When should a Knoxville family ask about hospice?
Ask when treatment is no longer helping or is causing more burden than benefit, when hospital visits are becoming frequent, or when a doctor says they would not be surprised if the person died within a year; an evaluation commits you to nothing.
Families often say afterward that they wish they had called sooner, because hospice support for symptoms, equipment and caregiver rest is most useful over weeks or months rather than days.
Where are licensed hospice providers around Knoxville?
The state's records show 15 licensed hospice providers across the seven counties, 9 in Knox County, 1 in Blount County, 1 in Anderson County, 1 in Loudon County, 2 in Sevier County, 1 in Roane County.
| County | Licensed providers | Licensed beds |
|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 9 | 0 |
| Blount County | 1 | 0 |
| Anderson County | 1 | 0 |
| Loudon County | 1 | 0 |
| Sevier County | 2 | 0 |
| Roane County | 1 | 0 |
| Union County | 0 | 0 |
Home health and hospice agencies have no bed count; the figure shown is zero for them.
Side by side
| Hospice provides | Hospice does not provide | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Comfort, symptom control and family support | Curative treatment of the terminal illness |
| Place | Care at home, in an ACLF or nursing home | Facility room and board |
| Team | Nurses, aides, social workers and chaplains | Round-the-clock private duty |
Sources: Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. chapters 0720-26, 0720-21 and 0720-18; Health Facilities Commission, TennCare and Department of Disability and Aging pages; CareScout and VA rate tables, as cited above. See our editorial standards.
