NHPCO and HAN Urge Congress to Protect Access to High-Quality Hospice Care
For Immediate Release:
July 12, 2022
(Alexandria, VA) – Today, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and Hospice Action Network (HAN) led a letter to Congress, joined by organizations representing a broad coalition of the hospice and palliative care community. The letter requests protection of access to high-quality hospice care for Medicare beneficiaries by calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make changes to the proposed payment rate increase for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). A more sufficient rate would reflect the unprecedented demands and costs that hospice providers and programs are facing across the country.
CMS released its FY23 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements proposed rule, which proposes updates to the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for the coming fiscal year. For the hospice payment update percentage, CMS proposed an increase of 2.7% from FY2022.
“The purpose of a payment update is to ensure hospice providers are fairly and adequately reimbursed for the critical services they provide to individuals with life-limiting illnesses based on the cost of providing those services. Unfortunately, CMS’ recent update ignores the reality on the ground; higher gas prices, unrelenting labor shortages, increased wages, and additional pandemic-related expenses. We need the Biden Administration and Congress to step in and fix this wrong. Failing to do so would be a mistake,” said NHPCO Director of Legislative Affairs, Logan Hoover.
To read the full letter, click here
Be a Hospice Advocate: Urge your Members of Congress to protect access to end-of-life care by calling on CMS to provide a more sufficient hospice payment rate increase. Hospice Action Network’s Legislative Action Center makes it easy to take action.
About NHPCO and HAN: NHPCO and the Hospice Action Network (HAN) – work closely together to make an impact. NHPCO sets the public policy agenda through its Legislative Affairs Committee. HAN implements the agenda through direct lobbying, grassroots advocacy, and by empowering Hospice Advocates to share their hospice story with Congress. Our mission at HAN is to advocate, with one voice, for policies that ensure the best care for patients and families facing serious illness and the end of life.
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Press Contact:
Madison Summers
NHPCO Communications
Ph: 571-412-3973