A moving target in palliative care delivery is whether or not these services should have a dedicated benefit in the Medicare system. Discussions have heated up as to what such a program would mean for the industry. Palliative care models vary widely, with some focusing on interdisciplinary pain and symptom management, and others on consults […]
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 […]
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 […]
The COVID-19 pandemic spurred substantial change in serious illness care. Particularly, it drew attention to palliative care’s widening role across the continuum. Demand for serious illness care soared during the outbreak boosted palliative care awareness and putt a greater emphasis on the value that these services can bring to seriously ill patients and families, according […]
Some federal legislators are working to address workforce issues in the hospice space, as well as bolstering support for family caregivers. In a fractious political environment, hospice and palliative care policy is one area in which members of both parties find common ground. Lawmakers have introduced a series of bipartisan bills designed to relieve workforce […]
End-of-life doulas (EOLDs) and community health workers can add an additional layer of support that can help hospices improve connections and outcomes among patients and families. However, building these collaborations has come with financial barriers. EOLDs have had a growing presence in the serious illness and end-of-life care space, but their services are not reimbursed […]
Hospice care and palliative care services have similar, but diverging, threads across the care continuum. An area of increasing overlap centers around patient consultations discussing symptom management and goals of care. Supportive care for patients and families is a common thread in both hospice and palliative care, with providers touching different points along a patients’ […]
Calls have grown louder for an overhauled design of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, but the path towards change is riddled with contrasting views over regulation, policy and payment structures. Hospice providers are hitting financial and regulatory walls when it comes to sufficiently covering the spectrum of services necessary to care for patients and families, according […]
While many in the hospice space agree that evolution is needed to help ensure quality end-of-life care outcomes, conflicting views swirl around how regulatory requirements and associated processes could get us there. Regulators and hospice providers share a common goal of ensuring quality end-of-life care experiences. But points diverge when it comes to molding the […]
Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) represent a growing opportunity for palliative care companies, and providers have a number of ways to get in on the ground floor. Along with Medicare Advantage, ACOs are one of the few avenues towards more robust reimbursement than fee-for-service models. Operators can come to ACOs by two main avenues. For one, […]
