New legislation is leading some hospices to consider what a potential community-based palliative care payment demo would mean for them — as well as what it would look like. Four U.S. senators recently introduced a bipartisan bill that, if enacted, would steer the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to develop a palliative care-specific […]
Los Angeles-based Hospice Home Care recently rolled out a scholarship program for hospice aides in a move towards building career pathways and improving retention. Two hospice home care aides who have existing relationships with the organization will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to help advance their careers in the field by the end of this […]
The future of telehealth in hospice care delivery is among the questions swirling around the expiration of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on May 11. Certain telehealth flexibilities temporarily implemented during the PHE are sticking around until the end of 2024, while others are rolling away as it expires. Though initially the telehealth waivers […]
Hospices are wading through uncertain regulatory waters when it comes to infection control and prevention measures tied to the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on May 11. Some infection prevention requirements instituted during the pandemic are expiring, whereas others could have a lasting impact on hospices’ health and safety policy. This is […]
Based on current trends, risk-based payment systems will likely shape the future of palliative care. The palliative care market is projected to swell during the next decade. However, no standardized definition exists for “palliative care.” Providers use a range of approaches to providing the service, from consults with advance care planning to short-term transitional care […]
Though evidence shows that longer hospice stays reduce costs, providers are still walking a regulatory tightrope. On one hand, longer hospice stays can lead to improved patient and family satisfaction and greater cost saving opportunities. On the other hand, regulators often treat stays longer than six months or frequent recertifications to be red flags that […]
Money isn’t everything when it comes to recruitment and retention. While compensation is an important factor for attracting and keeping staff, hospices need to consider other crucial aspects. Employee benefits, a career path, organizational culture and leadership engagement also weigh into workers’ decisions to join, stay or leave a hospice. Hospices should take a close […]
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) are exploring opportunities for more formalized collaboration. NAHC and NHPCO have formed a joint exploratory committee to assess how the two industry groups may be able to partner going forward. While they have not announced specific plans, […]
Hospice licensing should remain under the authority of state governments rather than federal agencies, though lawmakers “haven’t ruled anything out” when it comes to program integrity, according to Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas). The congresswoman and fellow legislator Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) last month requested a briefing from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid […]
Hospices are seeking greater clarity on updated Medicare rules that allow hospices to document a broader range of chaplain services on claims. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recently revised three existing items in the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), eliminating languages that limited their use to the health care arm […]
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