The HPNA Legislative Assistant April 2014
Posted about 11 years ago by Deborah Greenspan
Your Guide to Public Policy Items Affecting Hospice and Palliative Nursing
The HPNA Legislative Assistant E-Tool is designed to keep you informed about important legislative and public policy topics affecting hospice and palliative nursing. Please remember HPNA bases its public policy positions and actions on the following guiding principles.
Sincerely,
Chad T. Reilly
Director of Membership
HPNA National Office
HPNA Links:
Current House and Senate Legislation
For a complete listing of public policy items and legislative bills being following by the HPNA Public Policy Committee, please visit the 'Active Legislation' tab in the "Members Only" area of the HPNA website.
News From CMS:
Medicare Hospice Concurrent Care Program
On Mar. 19, CMS announced a new initiative <image010.jpg>that will allow select Medicare beneficiaries to receive palliative care services from certain hospice providers while concurrently receiving services provided by their curative care providers. The Medicare Care Choices Model is intended to allow CMS to evaluate whether providing hospice services can improve quality of life and quality of care for seriously ill Medicare beneficiaries, increase patient and family satisfaction, and reduce Medicare expenditures. The demonstration project authorized as part of the Affordable Care Act through language written by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) will limit participation to beneficiaries with advanced cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure and HIV/AIDS.
At least 30 hospices will be selected with a goal of enrolling 30,000 beneficiaries over a 3-year period. CMS is seeking a diverse group of Medicare certified and enrolled hospices of various sizes and representative of various geographic areas that have experience with an established network of providers for referrals to hospice. Preference will be given to hospices that can demonstrate experience in developing, reporting, and analyzing quality assurance and performance improvement data. Applications are due by Jun. 19, 2014.
For more details, including the Request for Applications, visit the Medicare Care Choices Model page on the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation website.
NIHSENIORHEALH.GOV Offers Comprehensive Information on End of Life
Symptom management, practical concerns are focus of topic
A new Web resource from the National Institutes of Health is aimed at helping people address a sensitive subject-the end of life. The latest addition to NIHSeniorHealth, the health and wellness website for older adults, the End of Life module provides visitors with information about the most common issues faced by the dying and their caregivers.
"Few of us are comfortable talking about death, our own or a loved one's. While such reluctance is natural, it can leave people unprepared and uncertain of where to find answers, especially when they are needed most," said Patricia A. Grady, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), which developed the end-of-life topic for NIHSeniorHealth. "As the lead NIH institute for research in this area, NINR supports science to assist individuals, families, and health care professionals with end-of-life symptom management and decision making. Our goal with this module is to help people learn what to expect during the final stage of life so they can plan ahead."
The End of Life module describes the physical, mental, and emotional needs of people nearing the end of life and suggests ways to maintain their quality of life, such as hospice and home care. It also addresses the often complex practical concerns that can attend death, including financial issues, advance directives, caregiver support, and more.
Other topics include:
- Addressing pain
- Types and places of end-of-life care
- Planning and paying for end-of-life care
- Handling health care issues
- When the end comes
- Coping with grief
- Research efforts
GAO Examines Drug Shortages
Drug shortages are up nearly 300 percent from 2007, according to a new study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report's authors cite quality problems as the primary driver of shortages, although other issues, such as market profitability of some generic sterile injectable drugs, contributed to shortages. A more responsive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assisted in preventing certain other drug shortages, and new rules requiring a manufacturer to report potential issues that may affect availability has led to a decline in new shortages. Still, provider association representatives reported that drug shortages may force practitioners to "ration care or rely on less effective drugs," according to the study authors. The GAO recommends that the FDA strengthen internal controls over its drug shortage data and conduct periodic analyses to routinely and systematically assess drug shortage information, using this information to proactively identify drug shortage risk factors
Advocacy Meetings at the Annual Assembly
HPNA held numerous advocacy meetings during the 2014 Annual Assembly in San Diego, CA. Current State Ambassadors, Advocacy Council members, HPNA members, and general attendees interested in public policy were invited to attend. In addition, HPNA also held a joint meeting with AAHPM during the event. A tremendous amount of information was collected from the events, which will help shape HPNA's advocacy effort moving forward.