IS IT TIME TO DISRUPT THE MEDICARE HOSPICE BENEFIT TO PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF HOSPICE? Click on the image or the PDF to download the white paper. Congress approved the Medicare Hospice Benefit in 1981 to create an alternative to…
FINANCIAL MANIPULATION, LIMITING CARE AND SERVICES TO MAXIMIZE REVENUE The unique structure of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, an all-inclusive benefit that reimburses providers on a per diem basis, has created the opportunity for exploitation through a number of profiteering practices.…
THE THREAT TO THE HOSPICE COMMUNITY The dying process is uncertain and unpredictable. In caring for dying patients, hospices may spend more than the per diem rate to meet the needs of some patients experiencing a spike in pain and…
THE THREAT TO THE MEDICARE HOSPICE BENEFIT When the Medicare Hospice Benefit initially was established, Congress noted several reservations, including cost-efficiency, fair and equitable reimbursements, and adequate financing.10 These concerns still influence ongoing support for the Medicare Hospice Benefit and are…
CONCLUSION While this paper is not specifically about ownership status of the nation’s 5,000 Medicare-certified hospices, many of the markers used to evaluate the quality and cost effectiveness of hospice ultimately demonstrate the divide between how for-profit and not-for-profit hospices…