First, decide whether you want to do hospice at home or in a care facility, says Benzi Kluger, MD, FAAN, director of the Palliative Care Research Center and the Neurology Supportive and Palliative Care Service at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. If you opt for a care facility, keep this advice in mind.

Read More: How to Choose the Right Hospice Care

Check your insurance plan. Whether patients are on Medicare or Medicaid or are covered by private insurance, their plans should have a list of acceptable hospice providers. People enrolled in Medicare must use a Medicare-certified provider. Some private insurance companies and Medicare Advantage plans have negotiated rates with preferred providers.

Talk to your doctor. Neurologists may recommend specific hospices, and they should be familiar with their patients' conditions and the accommodations they may need—for example, respiratory support or tube feeding for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, says Farrah Daly, MD, MBA, a neuropalliative specialist in Leesburg, VA, and founder of EvenBeam Neuropalliative Care. Friends, family, and neighbors may also have suggestions.

Look for certification. All hospices approved for Medicare are certified and must adhere to specific federal requirements. Make sure the hospice is accredited, either by the Joint Commission or by the Community Health Accreditation Program, and meets an established standard of care. You also can compare hospices on the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Schedule an informational visit. These visits allow patients and families to learn more about hospice companies prior to enrolling, says Maisha T. Robinson, MD, FAAN, a neuropalliative care specialist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Patients and families can meet with several hospice agencies to determine which one may be best for them.

Ask about medication coverage. “Some neurologic drugs are used in hospice because they improve quality of life, but they're expensive,” says Dr. Daly. “As a result, some hospice organizations cannot provide them.” It's important to review all patients' medications with their neurologists and hospice providers before enrolling patients in hospice care.