Medicare Home Health Cuts Could Have Ripple Effect on Hospice, Palliative Care

Margin pressures from the proposed cuts to Medicare home health rates could impact palliative care and hospice. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in June released its proposed home health reimbursement rule for 2023, which included a 4.2% reduction in aggregate payments totaling an estimated $810 million. The agency cited budget neutrality […]

Hospice Advocacy Groups Ask Congress for Action on Proposed 2023 Medicare Rates

More than a dozen hospice advocacy groups have called on congressional leadership to intervene in a proposed 2.7% bump in Medicare payments, which they say is insufficient in light of COVID-19 and staffing headwinds. The organizations signed a letter to party leaders in both chambers of Congress. Signatories included the National Hospice & Palliative Care […]

MedPAC: Streamline Alternative Payment Models

As hospices explore greater participation in alternative payment models, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is urging Congress to reduce and restructure those programs. Hospice providers have been eying APMs emerging from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). These models represent an entry point to value-based reimbursement, as well as a means to […]

Rising Per Patient Costs Spur Calls for Higher Hospice Pay Rates

An overwhelming majority of hospice providers have seen costs of patient care rise 3% to 10% since 2019, and many expect further increases next year. This is prompting calls for Medicare to reconsider proposed 2023 reimbursement rates. Specifically, close to 98% of respondents to a May survey of National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) […]

ACO Partnerships Could Open Doors for Palliative Care Providers

Exploring partnerships with Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) may help palliative care providers grow and sustain their programs, but they would need to prioritize cost effectiveness and their capacity to receive new patients. ACOs are among the many health care stakeholders that are grappling with the question of how to best serve the burgeoning population of […]