Archive for minority hospice
Timely Access to Hospice Care May be Deteriorating, Particularly for Minorities
Posted by: | CommentsStudy Reveals Opportunities to Improve Access, Reduce Costs
Washington, D.C., June 15, 2009 – Timely access to hospice care is scarce and may be deteriorating, particularly for minorities, according to a comprehensive study of hospice use released today by the National Alliance for Hospice Access (NAHA).
The study identifies significant barriers to timely patient access to hospice care, especially for the 78% of Medicare decedents who die of non-cancer causes such as Alzheimer’s, heart and lung disease and the 14% of Medicare decedents who are non-white.
Click here to download the full press release in pdf format or continue reading below.
Recently, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization leaders refused to consider independent hospices’ proposals for hospice Cap Reform that would improve patient access to end-of-life care, save hundreds of independent hospices facing bankruptcy from Cap demands, and save Medicare money.
NHPCO leaders confirmed directly to NAHA that they will support no meaningful Cap reform in 2009. Instead, they will propose that Congress spend $150 million to protect large urban hospices from future Cap exposure by raising cap allowances, but only in big cities. Read More→
Entrenched Hospice Interests Oppose Hospice Cap Reform, and Any Hospice Reform. Why?
Posted by: | CommentsNAHA has developed a 2009 hospice interim reform proposal that would improve timely patient access to hospice, reform the hospice Cap and provide relief for quality independent hospices facing devastating Cap demands, harm no hospice or patient, and reduce Medicare’s total end-of-life care costs by as much as $1 billion annually. Read More→
