Hospice News

MARCH 4, 2024

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will end the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID) as of Dec. Often called the “hospice carve-in,” the program was designed to test coverage of hospice care through Medicare Advantage, in addition to some coverage of palliative care and transitional care.

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Hospice News

JANUARY 12, 2024

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has voted to recommend a freeze on hospice payment increases starting in 2025. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). For this year, CMS increased the hospice base rate by 3.1%. set in 2023.

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Hospice News

MARCH 20, 2024

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has unveiled a new primary care-oriented Accountable Care Organization (ACO) payment model that holds opportunities for hospices. Though the model is focused on primary care, it could help more patients receive hospice and palliative care when appropriate, according to CMS.

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Hospice News

MARCH 23, 2023

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is extending the value-based insurance design demonstration for calendar years 2025 to 2030, including the hospice component. The hospice component of VBID, also called the MA carve-in, launched in 2021 and was originally slated to complete after four years.

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NHPCO

MARCH 28, 2024

proposed rate increase for hospices is not enough to support the continued delivery of hospice care amidst rising cost pressures and ongoing workforce constraints affecting hospices nationwide,” said NHPCO COO and Interim CEO, Ben Marcantonio. “The We know that hospice care has demonstrated $3.5

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Hospice News

MAY 8, 2024

A bill currently before Congress would extend through 2026 regulatory flexibilities related to telehealth, including the ability to recertify patients for hospice care. If enacted, the Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act, would as of 2025 extend the flexibilities by two years. It also includes some exceptions.

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Hospice News

JANUARY 3, 2024

The bill builds upon the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, designed to speed transitions to patient-centered, value-based care. Lawmakers recently introduced the Value in Health Care Act, which, if enacted, could create inroads toward improved palliative care reimbursement.

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Hospice News

MARCH 13, 2024

As hospice program integrity remains in the spotlight, California remains the only state to take action on curbing the problem. Beginning in 2021, numerous reports emerged of unethical or illegal practices among hundreds of newly licensed hospices, particularly among new companies popping up in California, Texas, Nevada and Arizona.

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Hospice News

MAY 13, 2024

Research trends can help hospice providers improve their understanding around the impacts of their services and where quality gaps may exist. Research on global and national levels can play an important role in the ability to understand issues around hospice utilization and disparities. Congress extended the flexibility through Dec.

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 15, 2022

In this Voices interview, Hospice News sits down with Deanna Heath, VP of Hospice, KanTime, to talk about the potential impact of the Value-based Insurance Design (VBID) model on today’s hospice landscape. Hospice News: What career experiences do you most draw from, in your role today?

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 12, 2023

Program integrity issues that have heated up in the hospice space during the past five years reached a boiling point in 2023. Hospice providers have seen an array of increased regulatory oversight in 2023. There is scrutiny on hospice care [that’s] setting the stage for the next phase of what hospice oversight looks like.

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Hospice News

MARCH 22, 2024

Hospice providers need to evolve with their changing patient populations and the larger health care system, according to Greg Hagfors, CEO of Partners In Care. A group of volunteers had brought the hospice concept from the United Kingdom to Oregon, according to Hagfors. Partners In Care has done that well with home health care.

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Hospice News

MARCH 14, 2023

Legacy Hospice has expanded in Missouri by acquiring Safe Harbor Hospice for an undisclosed sum. The company is backed by the Chicago-based private equity firm Prairie Capital. We have no reason to believe this growth won’t continue,” Blair told Hospice News. “We by 2025, up from 13.5% by 2025, up from 13.5%

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Hospice News

APRIL 4, 2024

Collaborations with participants in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation’s (CMMI) Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Primary Care Flex demo could allow hospices to leverage their skill sets to access more patients. Hospices and palliative care providers can come to ACOs by two main avenues.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 9, 2024

Community-based nonprofit hospices can help blaze a trail towards a better future in American health care. This will be a core philosophy underlying Blue Ridge Hospice’s strategic goals for years to come, according to the company’s recently appointed CEO Jason Parsons.

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NHPCO

MARCH 5, 2024

For Immediate Release March 4, 2024 (Alexandria, VA) – The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) responded to today’s announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that as of December 31, 2024, the hospice benefit component of the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model will conclude.

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Hospice News

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022

In addition to traditional home-based services like hospice, home health, and personal care; community-based palliative care is on the rise, as are emerging high-acuity models like hospital-at-home and skilled nursing-at-home programs. Hospice rejection rates hit an all-time high of 41%. The labor shortage is so complex.

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Hospice News

AUGUST 30, 2022

Michigan-headquartered Residential Hospice has acquired Comfort Hospice in Missouri and Grace Hospice in Ohio for undisclosed amounts. Residential purchased the two hospices from health care company U.S. Medical Management will retain its hospice locations outside of St. by 2025, up from 13.5% Census Bureau.

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NHPCO

JANUARY 12, 2024

During yesterday’s public meetings, the MedPAC Commissioners unanimously voted in favor of the Chair’s hospice recommendation, which will be included in the Commission’s report to Congress in March 2024. While MedPAC is not a policy-setting body, its recommendations do bear weight among policymakers and lawmakers.

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Hospice News

JULY 7, 2022

Croix Hospice has expanded in Missouri with a Jefferson City de novo in the central region of the state. Croix Hospice serves in the Show-Me State to 44. “We have been steadily growing our presence in the state to provide expert hospice care to those who need it and are excited to place a team in this centralized location.”

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GeriPal

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Don’t get me wrong, the evidence points to cost savings, but as Chris Callahan and Kathleen Unroe pointed out in a JAGS editorial in 2020 “in comprehensive dementia care models, savings may accrue to Medicare, but the expenses accrue to a fluid and unstable network of local service providers, patients, and their families.” Diane: Huge.

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GeriPal

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

So the amount of dollars per Medicare beneficiary in the last six months of life varies more than twofold from one region of the country to the other region of the country. Summary Transcript Summary Amber Barnato is an expert in simulation studies. This is Eric Widera. Alex: This is Alex Smith. Eric: And Alex, who do we have with us today?

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