Federal News and Information Health and Human Services (HHS): Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Determination that a Public Health Emergency Exists As a result of the consequences of an outbreak of monkeypox cases across multiple states, on this date and after consultation with public health officials as necessary, I, Xavier Becerra, Secretary of […]
Texas Register Title 26. Health and Human Services Part 1. Health and Human Services Commission Chapter 266. Medicade Hospice Program – the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 26, Part 1, new Chapter 266, Medicaid Hospice Program were adopted. Medicaid hospice rules were moved under HHSC from 40 TAC Chapter 30 to 26 TAC Chapter 266 […]
PRIVATE EQUITY FIRMS HOLD A GROWING OWNERSHIP OF HOSPICES Kaiser Health news published “Hospices Have Become Big Business for Private Equity Firms, Raising Concerns About End-of-Life Care.” The article explores the overall growth of for-profit hospices in general, and the growth of private firms owning hospices in particular. According to the article, “Many hospice veterans […]
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) What’s New for Fiscal Year 2023? CMS issued the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Hospice Payment Rate Update final rule to update Medicare hospice payments, wage index, quality reporting programs, and policies. Areas of interest are: Routine annual rate setting changes resulting in a 3.8% increase in payments for […]
Teaching Rationally Sensitive Care Includes End-of-Life Care Learning about death is “an expected part of medical school training,” but students may not be “learning as much about dying.” Given the significant disparities in how patients experience illness, “how can we ensure that the care we provide does not also lead to difference in how our […]
Hospice Regulatory Updates UPCOMIMG EVENT: The Texas and New Mexico Hospice Organization will be hosting MACTOBER FEST in November 2022! It is important for new providers to make every effort to attend this training! Palmetto has expressed concern that new hospice providers, especially billers, are very unaware of its expectations of the new provider. We […]
Authors Examine Barriers to and Ideas to Improve Access to Palliative Care An article in JCO Oncology Practice is titled, “Is Improving the Penetration Rate of Palliative Care the Right Measure?” The article begins by recognizing that palliative care presence in “oncology care improves outcomes for patients, caregivers, and health systems.” Nevertheless, the sustainability and […]
Paper Calls on Family Physicians to lead EOL Conversations: “Right place, right time: facilitating end-of-life conversations” appears in Journal of Family Practice. The document is a guide that “offers tips and resources to help family practice physicians engage in end-of-life conversations that address patients’ needs and reduce the burden on friends and family. The guide […]
Physician Reflects on “The Trauma and Shock of a Terminal Diagnosis” A post in a Psychology Today blog examines “the emotional trauma” of receiving a terminal diagnosis. Author Daniel Miller, MD, a hospice and palliative care doctor, says there is a “a sense of dread and despondency upon learning of and thus coming closer to […]
Federal News and Information Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Pilot Medicare Part D and Hospice As you may know, CMS is concerned about hospice related prescription drugs being paid by the Part D benefit instead of the Hospice benefit. The pilot’s goal is to alert the Part D plan of a hospice election. The […]