In the United States, hospice is a form of medical care that is unlike any other. The purpose of hospice care is to improve the overall quality of life for patients managing a life-limiting illness by alleviating suffering. To qualify for hospice, a patient must have been given a diagnosis of six months or less left to live. Hospice care is designed to holistically care for a patient by addressing their physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs. Hospice care is paid for by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance companies. Hospice care is not about giving up. It is about making the decision to make the time remaining the most enjoyable possible. Hospice allows for a patient who is terminally ill to live life to the fullest while dying.