Complete Story
 

07/31/2019

LeadingAge National Responds to OIG Reports on Hospice Deficiencies

Yesterday, Representatives Neal and Brady, the chair and ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee sent a letter to CMS asking how they are responding to recent Office of the Inspector General reports and recommendations that focus on hospice deficiencies. You can read the committee's press release as well. 

LeadingAge responded to the reports with an article and statement from President and CEO, Katie Smith Sloan:

"LeadingAge and its members are committed to excellence in long-term care and services. Nonprofit providers of hospice care have led the field since its inception through innovation and as drivers of social change. Even as the hospice field has evolved, nonprofit providers, research shows, have remained committed to providing a robust interdisciplinary care approach for patients and their families. We support the OIG’s recommendations for strengthening current requirements for reporting abuse and neglect, stronger CMS oversight of state survey agencies, and improved mechanisms for consumers to gain information on hospices and to also resolve issues with quality of care. LeadingAge will continue to work with CMS and other stakeholders to ensure the highest quality of care and services for people seeking hospice care at the end of life."

LeadingAge is monitoring this high-profile focus on hospice quality and will be working with both the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Congress to both ensure the robust, high quality hospice benefit that nonprofit community hospices provide is recognized and proper oversight and enforcement targets those organizations who are not living up to the regulations and spirit of the hospice program.

If you or your organization has questions or concerns, please reach out to Aaron Tripp, VP of Reimbursement and Financing Policy at LeadingAge, at atripp@leadingage.org.

Printer-Friendly Version