WiHPCA is happy to remind members about and provide links to the latest articles and information from Hospice News and other publications:
· Hospice Advocacy Groups Call on CMS, Congress to Strengthen Program Integrity Oversight
Four national hospice and senior care industry groups have called on Congress and the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make regulatory and legislative changes to instill stronger program integrity safeguards. The organizations penned a joint letter to CMS in November urging for increased oversight to help curb hospice frauds, including the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) and LeadingAge. Read more…
· NHPCO: Language, Mistrust, Lack of Diverse Staff Come Between Hospices and Underserved Populations
By Holly Vossel | January 17, 2023
Language barriers, mistrust of the health care system and a lack of diverse staff are the most common obstacles between hospice care and underserved communities, research from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) recently found. Read more…
· VA Study Finds 95% Increase in Palliative Care Utilization When Patients Have Access to Social Workers
Patients are more likely to receive palliative care if they can access social workers through their primary care providers, Veterans Health Administration (VA) research has found. Researchers analyzed records for 43,200 veterans with prior hospitalization who had received primary care at a VA site between October 2016 and September 2019. They found a 95% increase in hospice or palliative utilization among veterans served by VA providers participating in the agency’s Social Work Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). The average age among the veterans was about 65. Read more…
· GAO: CMS Should Update Rules for Hospices Reporting Abuse or Neglect
Hospices should be required to report all instances of abuse and neglect, even if the perpetrator was not an employee, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires operators to report incidents of patient abuse and neglect that involve their staff. If the agency follows the GAO’s recommendation, they would also have to notify survey agencies when others, like family members or caregivers, become abusive or neglectful. This would bring the hospice rules in line with those used in long term care. Read more…
· FTC Proposes Rule that Would Ban Employee Noncompete Clauses
Associated Press – Alexandra Olson and Michelle Chapman| January 6, 2023
The Federal Trade Commission proposed a rule Thursday that would ban U.S. employers from imposing noncompete clauses on workers, a sweeping measure that could make it easier for people to switch jobs and deepen competition for labor across a wide range of industries. The proposed rule would prevent employers from imposing contract clauses that prohibit their employees from joining a competitor, typically for a period of time, after they leave the company. Read more…
· New York Governor Vetoes Bill to Limit For-Profit Hospices
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has vetoed legislation that would have effectively banned new, for-profit hospices in the state. The New York State Assembly passed the bill in June and submitted it to the governor’s office in mid-December. It would have prohibited the establishment of for-profit hospices in New York state and forbid current for-profit operators from increasing capacity. Read more…
Hospice News, which is part of the Aging Media Network, is a leading source for news and information covering the hospice industry.
