Hospice CARE Act Would Create Reimbursement for High-Acuity Hospice Services

If enacted, the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act could open up reimbursement pathways for high-acuity palliative services during a time when demand and costs are rising. Developed by U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenaur (D-Oregon) and announced in June at the Hospice News Elevate conference, the bill proposed massive reimbursement and regulatory changes […]

C-TAC: CMS’ ‘Palliative’ Definition in 2025 Proposed Hospice Rule ‘Misaligned, Problematic’

Efforts to establish potential payment mechanisms for high-acuity palliative services within the Medicare Hospice Benefit will require greater clarity from regulators, according to the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC). The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) 2025 proposed hospice payment rule contained a request for information (RFI) on the potential implementation of […]

Palliative Care, Health Equity Growing in Medicare Advantage

Reimbursement for community-based palliative care is gaining ground in the Medicare Advantage realm. Palliative care is among the wide range of supplemental benefits that exist within the Medicare Advantage payment landscape. The diverse social, emotional and physical support services involved in community-based palliative care have made it an increasingly appealing area for MA plans when […]

Tele-Palliative Care Benefits Veterans with Cardiac, Pulmonary Diseases

Patients with cardiac and pulmonary conditions see improvements in their quality of life after receiving palliative care via telehealth. A randomized clinical trial with 306 participants who suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure (HF), and interstitial lung disease (ILD) found that palliative telehealth resulted in significant improvements. The results were published in […]

Palliative Care’s Evolving Role in Medicaid

The number of states introducing palliative care Medicaid reimbursement channels has been climbing in recent years. But questions proliferate around how to shape these programs. More Medicaid palliative programs have evolved in recent years, but utilization of these services is not keeping pace with payment, according to Torrie Fields, strategic advisor at the Coalition to […]

Hospices’ Unanswered Questions: Filling the Research Gaps

Research around hospice care has come a long way. But data gaps exist when it comes to expanding understanding of some aspects of end-of-life care delivery. A range of researchers has amassed a growing base of data on hospice, with some common themes tied to quality outcomes, costs, length of stay and general inpatient care. […]

Building Mental Health Supports for Palliative Care Teams

Palliative care organizations that integrate employee feedback into their staff development policies have a fighting chance in battling ongoing burnout and turnover in the field. The palliative care workforce is facing a wide range of challenges that impact their ability to thrive in the field. Providing serious illness care can be emotionally and mentally taxing […]

Providers Hit Obstacles to Scaling Palliative Care

Progress on growing access to quality palliative care has been challenged by hurdles in policy, payment and common misperceptions among patients and providers. Palliative care providers can help patients and families at various points along their health care trajectories, but the fragmentation in the nation’s health system has led to widespread access issues, according to […]

Caregiver Support a ‘Significant’ Priority in CMMI Models, VBID

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 […]