Compare 18 hospice & palliative medicine specialists in Charleston, SC. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
18
Hospice & Palliative Medicine Specialists
100%
Accepting patients
67%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
Charleston is a healthcare city built around MUSC, the oldest medical school in the South and the state's only comprehensive academic medical center. Roper St. Francis provides the community hospital alternative, while Trident Medical Center handles the growing North Charleston and Summerville populations. MUSC's research engine and the city's biomedical startup ecosystem have made Charleston an increasingly serious player in health innovation.
Charleston has 18 hospice & palliative medicine specialists. The most common credential is MD (67%). 100% are currently accepting new patients. Practitioners see patients in neighborhoods including Downtown Charleston (South of Broad), Mount Pleasant (nearby), West Ashley, and King Street.
MUSC's campus sits on the peninsula in downtown Charleston, just north of Calhoun Street. Roper Hospital is also on the peninsula, while Bon Secours St. Francis and Trident Medical Center serve West Ashley, North Charleston, and the surrounding suburbs. Mount Pleasant, across the Cooper River, has its own cluster of outpatient practices and an MUSC satellite. The Ravenel Bridge connects the peninsula to Mount Pleasant, but rush-hour traffic makes that crossing unpredictable.
Nearby hospitals include MUSC Health University Medical Center, Roper St. Francis Hospital, and Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital. Local training programs run through Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and College of Charleston. MUSC is South Carolina's only comprehensive academic medical center and Level I trauma center.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina dominates the commercial market. South Carolina has not expanded Medicaid, so coverage gaps are wider here than in many states. For marketplace plans, BCBS, Ambetter, and Molina are the primary options. MUSC accepts most major insurance plans and serves as the region's largest Medicaid provider. 56% accept Medicare.
A palliative care consultation involves a detailed conversation about your symptoms, concerns, goals, and what matters most to you. The physician will assess and treat symptoms (pain, nausea, shortness of breath, anxiety, insomnia) using medications and non-drug approaches. They help facilitate conversations about advance directives, code status, and treatment preferences. Hospice care includes regular home visits from nurses, aides, chaplains, social workers, and physicians, with medications and equipment provided.
MUSC primary care clinics can have wait times of two to three weeks for new patients. Roper St. Francis Physician Partners tends to schedule faster for routine care. Always call ahead to confirm insurance acceptance.
Consider palliative care if you or a family member has a serious illness (cancer, heart failure, COPD, kidney failure, dementia, ALS) and is experiencing symptoms that reduce quality of life, needs help making treatment decisions, wants to clarify goals of care, or is struggling with the emotional burden of illness. Hospice is appropriate when curative treatment is no longer the goal and comfort becomes the priority.
Palliative care consultation copay: $30-75 · Hospice (Medicare): $0 copay · Hospice daily rate: $150-200 (covered by Medicare) · Respite care: 5 days covered per benefit period
Charleston, SC has 18 licensed hospice & palliative medicine specialists. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of hospice & palliative medicine specialists in Charleston, SC are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina is the largest carrier in the state. Medicaid in South Carolina has not been expanded, so the uninsured rate is higher than the national average. MUSC operates as the primary safety-net provider for the region. For marketplace plans, BCBS, Ambetter (Centene), and Molina are the main options.
A palliative care consultation copay is $30 to $75. Hospice under Medicare has $0 copay. The daily hospice rate is $150 to $200 (covered by Medicare). Respite care covers 5 days per benefit period. Actual costs in Charleston, SC depend on the provider and your insurance plan. Hospice is one of the most cost-effective models in healthcare. It covers medications, equipment, and services related to the terminal diagnosis at no cost under Medicare. Patients can revoke hospice and return to curative treatment at any time.
MUSC is the default for subspecialty and complex care, but Roper St. Francis offers a strong alternative for primary care and common procedures. North Charleston and Summerville residents often use Trident Medical Center to avoid peninsula traffic. Mount Pleasant has a growing number of satellite clinics from both MUSC and Roper.
MD stands for Doctor of Medicine and DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Both are equivalent qualifications. In Charleston, SC, 67% hold the MD credential and 33% hold DO. The difference is in training pathway, not quality of care.
56% of hospice & palliative medicine specialists in Charleston, SC accept Medicare. The Medicare Hospice Benefit covers hospice care at no cost to the patient, including medications, equipment, nursing, aide services, and bereavement support. Palliative care consultations are covered under standard Part B benefits. You can filter for Medicare-accepting providers on FindClarity.
Yes. MUSC accepts both self-referrals and physician referrals for most departments. Some subspecialty clinics prefer a referral, but primary care, urgent care, and many specialty clinics allow direct scheduling.
Mount Pleasant has a growing number of outpatient practices, including MUSC and Roper satellite clinics, urgent care centers, and independent specialist offices. For inpatient care and complex procedures, you will likely need to cross the bridge to the peninsula.
Top accepted carriers in Charleston, SC include unitedhealthcare, qhp-73107, medicare, qhp-26065, and molina.
Palliative care consultations are covered as specialist visits under medical insurance. Hospice is a Medicare benefit (Part A) with no copays for eligible patients. Medicaid and most private insurance plans also cover hospice. Hospice covers medications, equipment, nursing visits, aide services, counseling, and respite care. Patients can revoke hospice and return to curative treatment at any time.