WiHPCA News

  • May 26, 2023 9:52 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    WiHPCA is happy to remind members about and provide links to the latest articles and information from Hospice News and other publications:

    ·       Key Trends to Watch: Health Systems Moving into Hospice, Home-Based Care

    As more care moves into the home setting, more hospitals and health systems are throwing their hats into the ring. Coupled with the entry of more payers into the space, the influx of health systems into home health, hospice and community-based palliative care stands to change the competitive dynamics in markets nationwide. Read more…

    ·       Palliative Care Providers Walk a Reimbursement Tightrope

    Though revenue streams for palliative care are often shallow, these services can generate sustainable growth for providers who can play their cards right with payers. Providers walk a tightrope when it comes to ensuring that their palliative care services are financially sustainable, according to Lynn Spragens, founder and partner of Spragens & Gualtieri-Reed, a North Carolina-based health care consulting company. Read more…

    ·       Post-PHE Hospice Regulation: Preparing for the Reinstated Volunteer Requirement

    The return of volunteer requirements is among the regulatory changes being implemented with the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The U.S. Centers for Medicaid & Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2020 issued a number of flexibilities intended to ease burdens on health care providers during the pandemic. This included the temporary lifting of the requirement that volunteers provide at least 5% of hospice patient care hours. CMS will reinstate the rule as of Jan. 1, 2024. Read more…

    ·       Post-PHE Hospice Regulation: How Telehealth Rules Will Change

    By Holly Vossel May 9, 2023

    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 weren’t intended to be permanent, they will likely have long-term impacts in hospice. Read more…

    ·       Post-PHE Hospice Regulation: How CMS Could Unbend Infection Control Rules

    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. Read more…

    Hospice News, which is part of the Aging Media Network, is a leading source for news and information covering the hospice industry.

  • May 26, 2023 9:51 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Recognizing potential big changes on the legislative and regulatory front this year in Washington, D.C., the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) has once again planned ahead with strategies to protect the continued viability of home care and hospice across the country.

    In fact, NAHC recently posted its finalized 2023 Regulatory and Legislative Blueprints, which entail a comprehensive review of all NAHC policy positions on matters impacting the home care and hospice community.

    In addition, the NAHC Board of Directors has identified a list of specific legislative and regulatory priorities for 2023. These priorities, selected from the larger Blueprints, address issues related to workforce, home health, hospice, home care, and innovation. The priorities highlight the areas needed for Congressional and regulatory action to support and expand care in the home. The proposed priorities aim to improve access to high-quality care, reduce costs, and address workforce shortages to better meet the needs of patients and their families.

    The full Legislative and Regulatory Priority Reports are linked below for your review:

    ·        NAHC 2023 Legislative Priorities

    ·        NAHC 2023 Regulatory Priorities

  • April 24, 2023 9:00 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    By Hoven Consulting – WiHPCA’s lobbying firm

    • WiHPCA Supports Bill Allowing New Health Care Professionals to Receive Preliminary Occupational Credentials

    At its March meeting, the WiHPCA Legislative Committee agreed to support legislation to help previously unlicensed individuals in the health care field – particularly new graduates – to start work right away by requiring the state Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) to grant these individuals preliminary occupational credentials.  In order to qualify for such a preliminary credential, the applicant will need to have recently completed the requirements to obtain such a credential, submit a credential application and be engaged by an employer in the health care field.  The applicant and the employer will need to inform DSPS that the applicant meets all relevant credentialing requirements.  The preliminary credential will take effect when the employer submits this attestation to DSPS and will expire when the individual’s application for a permanent or training credential is granted or denied. 

    The Assembly Committee on Regulatory Licensing Reform held a hearing on this bill on April 12.  WiHPCA’s Madison lobbyists will continue to monitor this legislation during the 2023-2024 legislative session. 

    • Temporary Health Care “Act 10” Occupational Licenses Will Continue to Be Available

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tony Evers signed into law legislation that became 2021 Wisconsin Act 10.  This legislation allowed health care professionals who are licensed in good standing in other states to work in Wisconsin immediately, without obtaining a permanent occupational credential.  This was to ensure that Wisconsin had enough health care professionals to treat Wisconsinites during the pandemic.  These temporary licenses are known as “Act 10 licenses.”

    This state law was tied to the end of the pandemic-related Presidential Emergency Declaration.  On April 10, 2023, President Biden signed federal legislation that ended this emergency declaration.  According to state law, the “Act 10 licenses” expire 30 days after the Presidential Emergency Declaration ends – which is May 10, 2023 – unless the license holder applies for a permanent license by that date.  If a license holder applies for a permanent license by that date, that individual will still be allowed to practice in Wisconsin.

    In addition, there is a provision in 2021 Wisconsin Act 10 that could benefit out-of-state health care professionals who seek Wisconsin licensure after May 10, 2023, and wish to practice immediately in the state.  If an individual’s out-of-state license is in good standing, that professional could apply simultaneously in Wisconsin for an “Act 10 license” and a permanent license and would be able to practice immediately in Wisconsin. 

    For more information on “Act 10 licenses,” please go to the state Department of Safety and Professional Services’ FAQ page

  • April 24, 2023 8:59 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The WiHPCA Legislative Committee is charged with developing the association’s legislative priorities and providing direction and support on public policy that impacts hospice and palliative care in Wisconsin. The committee, which meets once a month, also evaluates legislative and regulatory issues of importance as they arise and leads WiHPCA’s lobbying and grassroots advocacy efforts.

    As mentioned above in the Government Affairs Report provided by Hoven Consulting (WiHPCA’s lobbying firm), the committee recently voted to support Assembly Bill 144, legislation to address the state’s health care workforce challenges by expediting occupational licensing  for Wisconsin health care professionals. In addition, the WiHPCA Legislative Committee recently approved a member-driven grassroots advocacy campaign to encourage the WI Legislature to provide $10 million in additional funding to boost the state’s Nurse Educators program.

    The Wisconsin Nurse Educators program was established two years ago to support nursing education and increase the number of nurses in Wisconsin by providing grants to nurses enrolled full-time in doctor of nursing or mater of nursing programs. Grant recipients must commit to teaching at an approved Wisconsin nursing school for at least three years post-graduation. Providing additional funding for this program is more important than ever, as nursing education programs across the state are struggling to turn out enough graduates to meet the growing demand for nurses in Wisconsin.

    Please be on the lookout for a WiHPCA Advocacy Action Alert asking you to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to support $10 million in funding for the Wisconsin Nurse Educators program as part of the state budget bill.

  • April 24, 2023 8:59 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    WiHPCA’s grassroots advocacy program is critical to the success of the association’s overall government affairs program. It allows our members to have a voice and influence in shaping public policy that impacts hospice and palliative care in Wisocnisn.

    With that in mind, we are pleased to report about WiHPCA’s latest legislative advocacy outreach effort. WiHPCA Board Chair Lynne Sexten recently hosted state lawmaker Rep. Ellen Schutt (R-Clinton) at Agrace Hospice in Janesville to discuss WiHPCA and the importance of hospice and palliative care to Wisconsin patients and their families. The meeting, which also included WiHPCA Advocacy Director Michael Welsh, provided a great opportunity to educate a key state policymaker about hospice and the challenges the industry faces daily.  Rep. Schutt did have a basic understanding of hospice, given she had a grandmother who received hospice care, but the meeting allowed us to provide detailed information about hospice and dig into WiHPCA policy priorities.

    Lynne did a great job briefing Rep. Schutt on the value of hospice and palliative care, as wells as WiHPCA’s state legislative priorities, which focused primarily on the industry’s workforce challenges. WiHPCA would like to thank Lynne for making time to host the meeting. As usual, she did a wonderful job leading the discussion. She also provided Rep. Schutt with a great tour of the Agrace facility.

    As mentioned above, grassroots advocacy is the most powerful tool WiHPCA has at its disposal to shape public policy – and building relationships with lawmakers is the most important aspect of grassroots advocacy. The meeting with Rep. Schutt was just the latest endeavor in WiHPCA’s objective to connect members with their local legislators. WiHPCA encourages all members to participate in this critical grassroots advocacy program. If you or your organization is interested in hosting a state lawmaker, please contact the WiHPCA office at wihpca@badgerbay.co.  

  • April 24, 2023 8:59 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Late last month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2024 Hospice Payment Rate Proposed Rule, which would update Medicare hospice payments, the aggregate hospice cap, and other hospice regulations.

    Under the proposed rule, the hospice payment update percentage would be 2.8%, which is an increase of roughly $720 million in payments from 2023. This is a result of the 3% market basket percentage increase reduced by a 0.2 percentage point productivity adjustment.

    The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) issued a statement in response to the proposed rule, which offered both their concerns and potential opportunities stemming from the proposed rule:

    Concern:

    • The 2.8% proposed rate increase for hospices is not enough to support the care hospices provide. Hospices are dealing with inflation rates that are at least twice that high, compounded by historical and ongoing workforce challenges. In 2024, pre-determined sequestration cuts will further reduce hospice reimbursement to a de facto increase of about 1%. Americans are increasingly choosing hospice for end-of-life care. Intentionally underfunding that care should be a non-starter.

    Opportunities:

    • CMS is using the proposed rule to advance hospice program integrity measures, curb fraudulent and abusive practices within the system, advance health equity, and increase hospice utilization. These efforts are in line with NHPCO’s ongoing work, including 34 program integrity recommendations made in January. NHPCO will work with the hospice community and CMS to help shape the following efforts:
    • The proposed rule would require physicians to be enrolled in Medicare to certify and recertify patients for hospice care. If designed and implemented properly, NHPCO believes this measure may help identify physicians who are engaging (or potentially engaging) in fraudulent or abusive behavior, presenting a risk of harm to Medicare beneficiaries or are otherwise unqualified to certify or recertify beneficiaries for hospice.
    • In this proposed rule, CMS announced it is soliciting feedback from providers via two Requests for Information (RFIs) – one on health equity in hospice and the other on hospice utilization, non-hospice spending, ownership, and hospice election. NHPCO welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback and is soliciting detailed comments from providers for both RFIs. CMS will have significant on-the-ground experiences from providers to inform these important issues around access, equity, and the integrity of the Medicare hospice benefit.

    Public comments on the 2024 Hospice Payment Rate Proposed Rule will be accepted through May 30, 2023. WiHPCA will work with NHPCO and our other national stakeholders to submit public comments that reflect the thoughts and concerns of WiHPCA members and the greater hospice community across Wisconsin and throughout the country.

  • April 24, 2023 8:58 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    WiHPCA is happy to remind members about and provide links to the latest articles and information from Hospice News and other publications:

    ·         Citing Competition and Consumer-Protection Concerns, CMS Makes Hospice-Ownership Data Publicly Available

    In what the agency is calling an effort to promote industry competition and protect consumers, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is making hospice-ownership data publicly available. HHS is also releasing ownership data for all Medicare-certified home health agencies, the department specified in a Thursday announcement. Federal health care officials had already implemented a similar measure for the nation’s skilled nursing facilities (SNFs).

    Read more…

    ·         How Hospice Labor Pressures Can Impact Regulatory Compliance

    By Holly Vossel April 20, 2023

    Industry-wide staffing woes are bleeding into hospices’ compliance programs.

    Many hospices are struggling not only operationally, but also financially to comply with regulations, according to Norbert Hudak, partner at in90Group, a Los Angeles-based business marketing and strategy development company. Read more…

    ·         NHPCO: Proposed 2.8% Hospice Payment Hike Insufficient

    The 2.8% base payment rate increase recently proposed by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is insufficient to support hospice patients’ care needs, a major industry group said. CMS earlier this month released its 2024 hospice proposed rule, which included the 2.8% increase — an estimated total of $720 million. If finalized as written, the rule would also raise the aggregate payment cap to $33,396.55, up from $32,486.92 this year. Read more…

    ·         Younger Generations of Hospice Workers Value Career Paths, Work-Life Balance

    Hospices that are shaping their recruitment and retention strategies around work-life balance and career development have a fighting chance against competitors for sparse clinical staffing resources. As workforce shortages mount throughout the health care system, competition in the labor market has intensified. Hospices are increasingly competing with other health care providers for clinical staff as more reach retirement age without enough younger workers stepping in to fill the gap. Some also leave the field due to burnout, or because they found higher compensation or a better career path elsewhere. Read more…

    ·         CMS Working on Health Equity-Focused Hospice Quality Measures

    The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is moving towards the development of health equity quality measures for hospices. Last year, the agency convened a technical expert panel (TEP) to study the issue, according to language in its 2024 proposed hospice rule. Among the questions the panel has considered is the addition of new measures to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP). Read more…

    ·         Palliative Care the Next Generation: How the Service May Grow and Evolve

    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 or longer-term symptom management for the chronically ill. Read more…

    Hospice News, which is part of the Aging Media Network, is a leading source for news and information covering the hospice industry.

  • April 19, 2023 10:42 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    The most recent WiHPCA sponsored quarterly meeting with the Division of Quality Assurance was held April 12. The meeting provided valuable information for our members and the opportunity to engage with state regulators. During the meeting, DQA provided an overview of the following CMS documents, which are linked below for your review:

    More information is available on the WiHPCA website including registration for future quarterly calls.

  • March 27, 2023 12:19 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    By Hoven Consulting – WiHPCA’s lobbying firm

    • WiHPCA Supports Draft Occupational Credentialing Reciprocity Bill

    At its March meeting, the WiHPCA Legislative Committee agreed to support legislation to establish reciprocal occupational credentialing in Wisconsin, so that people who have occupational licenses in other states are able to more easily practice their profession in Wisconsin.  In addition, this would likely improve the continuing occupational credentialing processing backlog at the state Department of Safety and Professional Services. 

    • Governor Evers Appoints New Secretary of State

    Effective on Friday, March 17, longtime Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug La Follette resigned his position.  He had held that position for more than 40 years and was re-elected to a four-year term in November 2022.  Also, on Friday, March 17, Governor Evers appointed former State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski as the new Secretary of State.  Godlewski will serve out the remainder of La Follette’s term, which will end in January 2027. 

    • Senate Committee Advances Medical Examining Board Nominees

    Earlier this month, the Senate Health Committee voted unanimously to advance the nominations of Gregory Schmeling, MD, of Brookfield, and Michael Parish, MD, of Wauwatosa, to serve on the Medical Examining Board (MEB), which has the authority to issue occupational licenses to physicians, as well as generally regulate this profession.  Doctor Schmeling’s nomination lasts until July 2025 and Doctor Parish’s nomination lasts until July 2023.  The next and final step is for the full Senate to vote on approving their nominations. 

    • State Senate Confirms State Insurance Commissioner

    On March 22, the state Senate voted unanimously to confirm Nathan Houdek as the state Insurance Commissioner.  Prior to Governor Evers nominating him to this position, he served as the Deputy Insurance Commissioner and then interim Insurance Commissioner, upon the retirement of Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable in December 2021. 

    • State Budget Public Hearings Scheduled for April

    Earlier this month, the State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance – the committee that writes the state budget – announced that it will hold four public hearings throughout the state to give Wisconsin residents the opportunity to testify on issues related to the Fiscal Year 2023-2025 state budget.  The Joint Committee on Finance’s public hearing schedule is as follows:

    For more information about these hearings, click on one of the links above.

  • March 27, 2023 12:18 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Earlier this month, the WiHPCA had the opportunity to ask State Representative Clint Moses (R-Menomonie), Chair of the Assembly Health, Aging and Long-Term Care Committee, what his health care-related policy goals are for the 2023-24 legislative session. Here is what he had to say:

    “My health priorities this session is to address the healthcare workforce shortage and to help make healthcare more affordable and accessible for Wisconsin citizens. Throughout Wisconsin, the health care workforce shortage has reduced accessibility to quality care. We have seen reduced service options and closures of clinics. In many cases, people are driving over an hour plus for a routine checkup. This creates a challenging situation for patients, especially for our aging population who face increasingly difficult decisions when it comes to their healthcare. I have been spending time learning about regulations surrounding Senior Care, IRIS, Nursing Homes, and Hospitals services across the state. I have also been on numerous tours in health care facilities and have met with many health care providers. I look forward to working with all the stakeholders to make Wisconsin a healthy state for all ages.”

    Representative Clint Moses (R-Menomonie) represents the 29th Assembly District in northwestern Wisconsin, which includes portions of Dunn and St. Croix Counties. He was first elected to the Assembly in 2020 and was reelected in 2022. He currently serves at the Chair of the Assembly Health, Aging and Long-Term Care Committee. Rep. Moses, who resides in Menomonie with his wife and four daughters, is a chiropractor by trade. He operates Red Cedar Chiropractic with his wife, Dr. Nora Moses, and has been caring for residents of Dunn County for 20 years. He is a member of the Chiropractic Society of Wisconsin, Community Foundation of Dunn County, lifetime alumni member of Northwestern Health Sciences University, and has served on the Colfax Health & Rehabilitation Board.


Wisconsin Hospice and Palliative Care Association

563 Carter Ct, Suite B

Kimberly, WI 54136


Phone: 920-750-7726 | Fax: 920-882-3655

Email: wihpca@badgerbay.co

© Copyright 2020 Wisconsin Hospice Care and Palliative Association.   All rights reserved.

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software