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Palliative Care, Health Equity Growing in Medicare Advantage

Hospice News

Reimbursement for community-based palliative care is gaining ground in the Medicare Advantage realm. Palliative care is among the wide range of supplemental benefits that exist within the Medicare Advantage payment landscape. This is a rise from 180 MA plans in 2023 offering palliative services and 64 MA plans in 2020.

Medicare 259
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Hospice Leaders: Change Must Come to the Medicare Hospice Benefit

Hospice News

Calls have grown louder for an overhauled design of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, but the path towards change is riddled with contrasting views over regulation, policy and payment structures. One part of the issue is that hospice reimbursement has not kept pace with evolving patient needs, Grant said.

Medicare 273
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How Medicare Budget Neutrality Impacts Hospice Payment

Hospice News

Medicare reimbursement is the lifeblood of hospice providers, and a clear understanding of policies like budget neutrality can help elucidate the payment systems that keep their businesses running. For example, CMS wouldn’t cut hospital payments to increase rates for hospices. These reductions occur within each service.

Medicare 237
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CMMI Analysis: Palliative Care Reduces Medicare Costs, Improve Patient Satisfaction

Hospice News

Despite this potential, existing programs hit barriers created by misconceptions about palliative care among referring physicians, as well as health equity concerns, among others, according to an analysts of four payment model demonstrations carried out by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation.

Medicare 315
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Medicare Home Health Cuts Could Have Ripple Effect on Hospice, Palliative Care

Hospice News

Margin pressures from the proposed cuts to Medicare home health rates could impact palliative care and hospice. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in June released its proposed home health reimbursement rule for 2023, which included a 4.2% pay hike for hospice care in 2023. CMS proposed a 2.7%

Medicare 317
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Why Hospice Utilization Rates Have Fallen

Hospice News

National hospice utilization rates have fallen since 2020, though the total number of patients served remains consistent. This utilization rate is similar to what was seen in calendar year 2020. million Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in hospice care for one day or more, compared to 1.72 About 47.3%

Hospice 259
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Hospice Advocacy Groups Ask Congress for Action on Proposed 2023 Medicare Rates

Hospice News

More than a dozen hospice advocacy groups have called on congressional leadership to intervene in a proposed 2.7% bump in Medicare payments, which they say is insufficient in light of COVID-19 and staffing headwinds. CMS in April released the 2023 proposed payment rule for hospice providers, including the 2.7%

Medicare 253