You can ask the doctor if your loved one is ready for hospice yet. My husband had hospice the last six weeks of his life. Medicare part A pays for hospice. They supplied everything we needed and were a tremendous help. If it’s not time for Hospice yet, you can at least find out some guidelines to help you decide. Hospice is not just for the last weeks of life. Some people stay under hospice care for a year or two, or even more.