continued from previous page My Hospice Resonates on Capitol Hill More than 260 advocates representing the hospice and palliative care community were on Capitol Hill on April 25 to participate in NHPCO and the Hospice Action Network's annual Advocacy Intensive. Advocates met with lawmakers and staff to reinforce the value of the Medicare hospice benefit for the 1.43 million beneficiaries it serves annually and their families. 44 states across the country were represented and meetings were held with 300 lawmaker offices about legislation supported by NHPCO to improve the delivery of hospice and palliative care. Legislation supported by NHPCO and advocated for during the Capitol Hill meetings included: * Rural Access to Hospice Act (S. 980/H.R. 1828) * Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) (S. 693/H.R. 1676) * Patient Choice & Quality Care Act (S. 1334/H.R. 2797) * Safe Disposal of Unused Medication Act (H.R. 5041) NHPCO advocates were also honored to hear from bipartisan, hospice champions including Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI), Senator Shelly Moore Capito (WV), Representative Vern Buchanan (FL), Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR) and Representative Tom Reed (NY). The event wrapped up with a Congressional Reception held in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building. Congressional champions delighted advocates as they stopped to take photos in front of the My Hospice photo stop that added an element of fun - and social media exposure - to the grand meeting room on Capitol Hill. 12 NHPCO NewsLine | Summer 2018http://www.hospiceactionnetwork.org/linked_documents/get_informed/legislation/115/Rural_2017Overview.pdf http://www.hospiceactionnetwork.org/linked_documents/get_informed/legislation/115/PCHETA_2017Overview.pdf http://www.hospiceactionnetwork.org/linked_documents/get_informed/legislation/115/PCHETA_2017Overview.pdf http://www.hospiceactionnetwork.org/linked_documents/get_informed/legislation/115/PCQC_2017Overview.pdf http://www.hospiceactionnetwork.org/introduction-of-our-new-opioid-toolkit/