The National Association for Home Care & Hospice and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization urged members Wednesday to “evangelize” the findings of a recent study on the cost-saving of hospice. The study released last month by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago found hospice saved Medicare $3.5 billion in 2019.
In a webinar with members, the two provider groups said the cost-savings coupled with high patient satisfaction should convince Congress and Washington regulators not to cut the aggregate cap for hospice payments by 20% in fiscal year 2023.
“That is a potent combination in Washington when you have a service that people love and at the same time save the Medicare program money along the way,” NAHC President William Dombi said during the webinar. “That doesn’t happen often with the Medicare program.”
Both NAHC and NHPCO are putting on a full-court press in Washington to protect hospice funding at a time when regulators are increasingly scrutinizing the end-of-life service. In March, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommended the 20% cut to the aggregate cap and maintaining Medicare base payment rates to hospice next year. Right around the same time, the Office of Inspector General called on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to increase oversight of hospices after an investigation uncovered fraud, inappropriate billing and poor care by some hospices.
NHPCO Interim CEO Ben Marcantonio said during the webinar the NORC study should not only reinforce support for hospice in Washington, but it also should help support a further expansion of the hospice benefit to include a demonstration model for palliative care.
“This information can be brought forward over the long term and inform, not only what we are addressing today, but as we do work going forward, it will continue to make a difference,” Marcantonio said.
