The nation’s 420,000 trained hospice volunteers generate more than $469 million in annual savings for hospice providers while administering and supporting essential services for patients, according to the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). Hospice volunteers provide more than 19 million hours of service annually. The estimated financial value of a hospice volunteer’s time […]
An upward trend in hospice utilization during 2018 brought a record number of patients into hospice for longer periods of time, according to a report from Atlanta-based research firm Excel Health. Hospice utilization among Medicare beneficiaries climbed above 50 percent during 2018, the highest rate since the 1983 inception of the Medicare Hospice Benefit. Meanwhile […]
Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services is collaborating with Genoa Healthcare to establish pharmacies specializing in hospice care in 47 states, designed to improve local access to medications and facilitate speedier delivery for hospice providers and patients. Optum—which is owned by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) —will bring its hospice-centric pharmacy services to Genoa’s pharmacy network of 450 […]
Nonprofit hospices have been bleeding market share for several years—but are not going gentle into that good night. Rather, many nonprofits are adapting to compete with large for-profit providers that are entering the space in greater numbers. In the 1980s and 90s nonprofits provided virtually all hospice care in the United States, but the balance […]
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is working to expand hospice and palliative care utilization among veterans, both in its own facilities and through collaborations with private health care providers. Historically, hospice utilization among veterans has been lower than that of the general population. In 2000, 21.6 percent of all Medicare decedents enrolled in […]
Hospice utilization among nursing home residents has increased dramatically during the past five years. While most hospice patients receive care in a private residence, a rising number of patients are receiving care in assisted living and long term care facilities, according to a recent report from LeadingAge, an association of non-profit organizations that serve seniors. […]
As demand for hospice care grows, hospice providers in an increasingly competitive marketplace are working to bring a larger share of those patients under their wings. In addition to traditional methods such as territory management and improving call volume, many are finding that the key to successful marketing is building relationships—with referral organizations, physicians, and […]
Palliative care could reduce societal health care costs by $103 billion within the next 20 years, the nonprofit economic research group Florida TaxWatch said in a report. The group recommended that policymakers take action to expand palliative care utilization in the state. Palliative care in general can reduce health care costs by more than $4,000 […]
A study of more than 13,000 veterans in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) found that patients receiving hospice care concurrent with chemotherapy or radiation therapy were less likely to use aggressive treatments or be admitted to intensive care compared to similar patients who were not enrolled in hospice, significantly reducing medical costs. Unlike organizations reimbursed […]
Obtaining necessary pain medications for terminally ill patients is becoming more complicated for hospice and palliative care providers. The advocacy group Healthcare Professionals for Patients in Pain (HP3) raised the alarm on potential misapplication of opioid prescription guidelines throughout the health care continuum in an open letter to policymakers. Pain management is a cornerstone of […]
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