Posted on December 9, 2022
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Media Contact: Thomas Threlkeld Director of Communications, NAHC 202-547-7424/tom@nahc.org |
Washington, D.C. – Over 1.7 million Medicare beneficiaries receive hospice care[1]. It is one of many benefits available under Medicare and provided by approximately 5,000 Medicare-certified hospices. Each of these hospices must provide certain services and meet specific requirements. However, each can provide these services in different ways. Navigating the details can be confusing, leading to many questions and misunderstandings. Making the decision to choose hospice care and choosing a hospice provider are two of the most important decisions anyone will make for themselves or a loved one. Finding a hospice that meets the needs of each patient may take some time.
To help beneficiaries sort through the details and learn about the hospice options available under the Medicare Hospice Benefit, the Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA) and the National Association for Home & Hospice Care (NAHC) jointly developed “Questions to Ask When Choosing a Hospice.” These questions are intended to prompt discussion between beneficiaries and hospices so that patients fully understand coverage under the Medicare Hospice Benefit and how these services are provided by the hospice they are considering.
“With a growing use of hospice care, it is essential that Medicare beneficiaries and their families are well-equipped to understand what it takes to choose the right hospice,” said NAHC President William A. Dombi. “We are proud to have the opportunity to team-up with the Center for Medicare Advocacy to contribute well-focused guidance on hospice care and provider options. There are few health care decisions that one may make that are more important than selecting a qualified hospice provider.”
As patients face terminal illness, the decision to choose hospice care is complex, and often difficult. We hope this document will help patients and families understand Medicare hospice coverage, the benefit from receiving hospice care, and available provider options. The booklet includes questions and guidance we hope will be valuable in finding care people can rely on as they live with serious illness, said Judith Stein, Executive Director, Center for Medicare Advocacy.
The Questions to Ask When Choosing a Hospice document is available at https://medicareadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Questions-for-Choosing-Hospice-Care-2022-Final.pdf
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About NAHC: The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) is the voice of home care and hospice. NAHC represents the nation’s 33,000 home care and hospice providers, along with the more than two million nurses, therapists, and aides they employ. These caregivers provide vital services to Americans who are aged, disabled, and ill. Some 12 million patients depend on home care and hospice providers, who depend on NAHC for the best in advocacy, education, and information. NAHC is a nonprofit organization that helps its members maintain the highest standards of care. To learn more, visit nahc.org.
About CMA: The Center for Medicare Advocacy (the Center) is a national, non-profit, law organization that works to advance access to comprehensive Medicare coverage, health equity, and quality health care for older people and people with disabilities. Founded in 1986, the Center focuses on the needs of people with longer-term and chronic conditions. The organization’s work includes legal assistance, advocacy, education, analysis, policy initiatives, and litigation of importance to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide. Our systemic advocacy is based on the experiences of the real people who contact the Center every day.
[1] MedPAC Report to the Congress (March 2022): https://www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Mar22_MedPAC_ReportToCongress_v3_SEC.pdf