Hospice care, though often relegated to the shadows of the healthcare conversation, serves as a vital support system for those approaching life’s final chapter. In Texas, this often misunderstood service has been under the microscope, with increased oversight and regulation aiming to improve quality, transparency and accountability. As their number keeps rising, the four national hospice organizations, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice and LeadingAge, urged Congress and CMS to act fast to ensure only well-qualified and well-trained providers offer hospice services across the country, which they did.
Expected changes
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched MLN7867599 on July 13, 2023, to address the growing concerns of fraud, waste and abuse and the recent flush in hospice enrollment. The new rule requires an onsite review of hospice providers every 30 days to one year to ensure compliance with CMS standards and protocols, as well as a thorough background check of the medical director, staff and patient care personnel before the board allows them to provide services under Medicare or Medicaid.
Approximately 200 hospices across the country will go through a comprehensive and meticulous evaluation process. This new hospice law is not merely a reactionary measure but a proactive stance to ensure the integrity of hospice care provision. It broadens the CMS’s ability to directly regulate providers, ensuring adherence to stringent quality controls and the safety of those availing of hospice services.
The increased oversight of hospice care in Texas and across the nation represents a significant shift in the healthcare landscape. It underscores the recognition of hospice care as an essential part of the continuum of care and not a peripheral service. This change demonstrates the government’s commitment to ensuring the quality of hospice care, protecting the vulnerable patients who avail of these services, and fostering an environment of accountability and transparency within the industry.