NHPCO and other National Hospice Organizations Meet with White House to Address Special Focus Program
For Immediate Release
September 20, 2023
(Alexandria, Virginia) – On September 18, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), LeadingAge, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) met with a representative on the Domestic Policy Council, representing the Biden administration, to discuss major issues with the current design of the hospice special focus program (SFP).
The coalition of national hospice organizations expressed concern that the current design of the SFP does not capture truly poor performing hospices and as its currently designed, would wrongly label good hospice providers among the bottom 10 percent. This would result in beneficiary access issues in rural and underserved communities.
“We are urging the White House to have CMS go back to work with the Technical Expert Panel to create a better formula that captures poor performing hospices and helps them raise the quality of care they deliver,” said Logan Hoover, NHPCO’s VP of Policy and Government Relations. “NHPCO and the other leading national hospice organizations will continue to meet with stakeholders in the administration and congress to bring awareness to critical flaws in the current version of the special focus program and to shape a program that can identify and help improve the performance of truly poor performing providers.”
The White House staff and hospice leaders engaged in thoughtful conversation as both sides work to ensure that hospice benefit beneficiaries have access to the highest quality hospice care.
###
About NHPCO
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) is the nation’s largest and oldest membership association for providers who care for people affected by serious and life-limiting illness. Our members deliver and expand access to high-quality, person-centered interdisciplinary care to millions of Americans. NHPCO provides education and resources to support that mission. Together with our advocacy partner, the Hospice Action Network (HAN), we serve as the leading voice advancing public policy to improve serious-illness and end-of-life care, while our CaringInfo program provides free resources to educate and empower patients and caregivers. nhpco.org.
Press Contact:
Madison Summers
Phone: 571-412-3973
Email: msummers@nhpco.org