Unmet caregiver needs are a top issue to address in developing end-of-life care models encircling the Medicare landscape. Among top priorities in current and future payment models is to improve care for those with serious and terminal illnesses, which includes caregiver support, according to Purva Rawal, chief strategy officer for the Center for Medicare and […]
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Allowing patients to receive concurrent hospice and curative care reduces health care costs and improves quality. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its fifth and final report on the Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM), which studied the effects of allowing individuals to receive hospice care without foregoing other treatments. The […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been working health equity components into new alternative payment models. Much movement has taken place in the payment and policy realms towards closing disparities among underserved populations, according to Hope Glassberg, senior policy advisor at the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) and president of […]
As hospices prepare for Medicare Advantage, more nonprofits are finding that creating partnerships or entering affiliations will better position themselves for payer negotiations. Nonprofit hospice affiliations have surged in 2022 and 2023. This is in addition to the creation of several regional collaborative networks and the formation of new Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). The gradual […]
Recently proposed legislation in California may raise minimum wages to $25 per hour among health care workers in the state. Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Calif.) recently introduced a bill that would establish five separate minimum wage schedules for health care employees. If enacted, the bill would instill incremental payroll hikes among workers during the next […]
In recent years Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) has emerged as a champion for hospice policy and reform, but he will not seek re-election to Congress in 2024. The Portland, Oregon native was first elected to Congress 27 years ago and later gained a seat on the influential Ways and Means Committee in the U.S. House […]
Greater transparency in staff evaluation processes and increased education will be keys to navigating a range of hospice compliance challenges in a post-pandemic landscape. Since the COVID outbreak struck, hospices have contended with changes in regulatory requirements around telehealth utilization, emergency preparedness and infection control and prevention. Ramped up auditing activities and program integrity oversight […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its 2024 home health rule, including the implementation of a hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). The rule also finalizes the proposed “36-month”rule for hospice providers. The requirement mirrors a regulation that has existed for several years for home health agencies. The final rule forbids […]
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) in bereavement support may have benefits for families coping with the loss of a loved one. However, gauging the potential impacts of psychedelic utilization among grieving individuals requires careful consideration when assessing quality outcomes, according to Ryan Moss, chief science officer at Filament Health Corp. The clinical-stage natural psychedelic drug development company […]
Though the acquisition market has slowed down this year for home-based care companies, Addus HomeCare Corp. (NASDAQ: ADUS) remains on the hunt. The most prominent home-based care transactions so far this year have involved payers seeking to acquire large providers with multiple business lines. Addus has been among the few publicly traded companies that have […]