When you’re caring for a child facing a serious illness, it can feel overwhelming – you may feel like you have to make an impossible choice between continuing treatment and keeping your child comfortable. Pediatric concurrent care was designed to remove that concern, allowing your child to receive treatments that support healing and comfort at the same time.

In this article, we’ll explain what pediatric concurrent care means, explore its benefits, and address how it works, who qualifies, and what families can expect. 

Are you exploring in-home care for a child facing a serious illness?  At 3HC, our expert team is here to support you and your family with compassionate care focused on helping your child live as fully and comfortably as possible. We invite you to reach out to us to learn more and get care.

What Does Concurrent Care Mean?

Concurrent care means that if your child has a serious, life-limiting illness, they can receive both hospice care and disease-focused medical treatment.

• Hospice care
  • Focused on pain and symptom management, nursing visits, emotional support and comfort and quality of life

• Disease-focused medical treatments 
  • Such as chemotherapy, surgeries, specialized therapies or hospitalization 

These services are available at the same time, so you don’t have to choose between treatment for your child’s illness and keeping them comfortable. The goal of hospice care is not to replace medical treatment, but to enhance support while treatment continues.

What Are the Benefits of Concurrent Care for a Child?

Pediatric concurrent care provides important benefits for your child and your family, including:

• Improved quality of life

• • Expert pain management
  • Monitoring and treatment of breathing difficulties, nausea, fatigue and other symptoms
  • Greater daily comfort at home 

• Emotional and psychological support

• • Ongoing assistance from a care team of social workers, counselors and spiritual care providers
  • Counseling, guidance and support to help families cope with difficult decisions and challenging emotions
  • Help navigating complex medical systems

• Continuity of care

• • Collaboration between care teams including specialists, primary providers and the hospice team
  • Ongoing medical treatment without interruption
  • Enhanced clarity about care plans

• Reduced stress for families
  • Relief from not having to choose between hospice support and medical treatment
  • Reassurance and stability from the hospice team in the face of uncertainty 
  • Fewer emergency care visits or hospital stays 
  • More time focused on your child 

How is a Child with a Serious Illness Considered Eligible for Concurrent Care?

Eligibility for concurrent care depends on your insurance coverage. Under Medicaid or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program):

• Your child must be under 21.
• They must qualify for Medicaid or CHIP.
• A physician must certify that your child has a life-limiting illness with a prognosis of six months or less if the illness follows its typical course.

The six-month timeline does not mean that care ends after six months. Hospice services can be recertified if your child continues to meet the criteria for eligibility. 

Unlike rules regarding hospice care for adults, under concurrent care, your child can receive both disease treatment and hospice support at the same time.

Private insurance plans may have different rules and eligibility requirements and often require prior authorization. Providers commonly work directly with private insurers to confirm coverage, navigate authorizations and advocate for essential services.

Is Pediatric Concurrent Care Covered by Medicaid?

The Affordable Care Act requires state Medicaid and CHIP programs to cover concurrent care for eligible children. 

Medicaid must cover both: 

• Hospice services 
• Medical treatments for your child’s illness 

Coverage rules and details can vary by state, and some services may require pre-approval. Healthcare providers typically confirm eligibility before delivering care.

While some private insurance plans offer concurrent care as a benefit, they are not federally required to do so. If coverage is provided, additional coordination from your healthcare team may be necessary. 

We encourage you to let us know if you have questions or need clarification about what benefits are available under your plan. 

What Happens if a Child’s Condition Improves in Concurrent Care?

You may be concerned that if your child’s condition improves it could complicate ongoing care. The good news is, concurrent care is flexible. 

If your child stabilizes or improves:

• Hospice services can be discontinued if your child no longer meets eligibility guidelines.
• Your child can continue receiving disease-directed medical treatment without interruption.
• Your child can be re-enrolled in hospice again later if needed.

Concurrent care provides flexible, comprehensive support and is designed to adapt to your child’s changing medical and emotional needs.

At 3HC, We Provide Comprehensive, Compassionate In-Home Care Focused on Your Child’s Comfort 

Pediatric concurrent care allows your child to continue receiving disease-directed medical treatment and comfort-focused care at the same time. 

At 3HC, we’re dedicated to supporting you and your family through this difficult period with compassion, expertise and personalized care every step of the way. If you have questions about concurrent care, hospice services or insurance coverage, our experienced care team can help you understand your options.

We encourage you to reach out to us to learn more and get care.