The primary care company agilon health (NYSE: AGL) sustained a gut-punching third quarter as it seeks to build out its palliative care model. The company is a value-based organization that partners with primary care physicians nationwide to jointly take on the total cost and quality of care for their senior patients through Medicare Advantage or […]

U.S. health care is moving steadily towards value-based reimbursement, and having a robust palliative care program can help hospices ensure they are not left behind. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is working to ensure that 100% of Medicare beneficiaries are aligned with a risk-based payment model by 2030. This can include […]

Palliative care is a neglected health care priority worldwide, three nursing experts contend. A range of factors contribute to this neglect, including misconceptions about the nature of palliative care, a lack of clinical education opportunities and research and health equity issues, according to Richard Harding, interim executive dean; Oladayo Afolabi, research associate; and Anna Peeler, […]

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized a nearly 2.9% cut for 2025 in physician payment rates used to reimburse palliative care care practitioners, among other professionals. The final rule also states that the telehealth flexibilities implemented during the COVID-19 public health emergency will expire at the end of this year […]

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently expanded tribal health care reimbursement options in state-based and pediatric programs. The move could help palliative care providers improve access and disparities among underserved indigenous populations. CMS has approved coverage amendments that allow certain state Medicaid programs and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) to cover […]

Reaching breast cancer patients with varying needs can be a challenging feat for palliative care providers. Their referral strategies often hinge on how palliative services can help improve outcomes. Palliative care providers help address patients’ various nonmedical, emotional, caregiver and social determinants of health needs, a key point to highlight when seeking to build stronger […]

Health care providers can have a bumpy road ahead of them when it comes to launching a new service like palliative care, in part due to complex legal and regulatory requirements. Before they launch a new program, operators must have a clear picture of their target population and the structure they want to build, according […]

The presence of an embedded palliative care practitioner in the emergency department can significantly improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. A pilot program at the Michigan-based Corewell Health system in which a palliative physician was embedded in the ED effectively reduced inpatient mortality, readmissions, intensive care unit utilization and the total cost of care, while […]

Health care providers should take a more expansive view of how they care for patients and families, according to Dr. Tressia Shaw, the new division chief for palliative medicine at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Shaw rose to lead the Phoenix, Arizona-based hospital’s palliative care program in early October. U.S. News and World Report ranks Phoenix Children’s […]

While some palliative care programs mirror the hospice model, more operators are working to tailor their services to patients’ specific needs, with varying intensity. This is increasingly important as payment shifts towards value-based payment models in which demonstrating cost savings is crucial to success. Providers need to demonstrate strong performance on quality scores as well […]