WiHPCA is happy to remind members about and provide links to the latest articles and information from Hospice News and other publications:
· More Medical Schools Investing in Palliative Care Education
Palliative care education programs are gaining speed regionally, leading some to hope for a “domino effect” that would spur further growth. Without widespread change, demand for palliative care in the United States is projected to outstrip the supply of the clinicians trained to provide it during the next decade. A key barrier to building that workforce is that most clinicians receive little to no exposure to those types of care during their training. Read more…
· US Senate Takes Up Supporting Our Seniors Act
U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-N.V.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.) have introduced a bill that would establish a national committee to study long-term care in the United States. While private residences are the most frequently occurring location of care for hospice patients, long-term care facilities come in second, followed by assisted living facilities, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). Patients in nursing homes on average were in hospice for 109 days of care in 2019, compared to 95 days among those receiving services in a private residence and 161 days in assisted living. Read more…
· Congress Takes Up Bill to Expand Advance Care Planning
U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have introduced a bill designed to foster greater access to advance care planning (ACP) among Medicare beneficiaries. If enacted, the Improving Access to Advance Care Planning Act would permit social workers to conduct ACP services, remove co-pays and patient fees, and promote provider education about associated billing codes. The bill also contains provisions to improve reporting on barriers to ACP utilization. Read more…
· How an Advance Care Planning Bill Could Impact Hospices and Medicare
Recent federal advance care planning legislation could boost utilization and provide more insights into goal-concordant care at the end of life, though the bill may face opposition due to potential costs. Last week U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced the Improving Access to Advance Care Planning Act to the Senate designed to promote greater access to those services among Medicare beneficiaries. Similar legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.)
Read more…
Hospice News, which is part of the Aging Media Network, is a leading source for news and information covering the hospice industry.
