NewsLine - May 2011 - (Page 3)

Remember, It Takes a Team The nation’s budget deficit and the ongoing political debates about the health reform law, together with a 2012 election mentality, means that protecting Medicare reimbursement rates will continue to be challenging. I also know this weighs on your mind as you work especially hard to provide care at the bedside—under increasingly stringent regulatory requirements. So let me use this month’s column to reinforce one important thing: None of us should feel like we’re going it alone. That’s a key benefit of being part of a national organization. Here at the National Center, NHPCO and the Hospice Action Network are continuing to build on some important relationships at the federal level. NHPCO senior staff joined me for a very constructive meeting with CMS Administrator Don Berwick on March 28, where we discussed the BNAF rate cuts, the concurrent care demonstration, FEHC and FEBS survey results and, of course, the physician ‘face to face’ encounter. This was a valuable exchange that complements the ongoing dialog we have with officials at both CMS and MedPAC. On April 4, we were also successful in facilitating the introduction of the Wyden-Roberts HELP Hospice Act (S. 722) in the Senate. This bipartisan bill calls for establishing a payment-reform demonstration program to test and evaluate any prospective payment revisions to hospice; increasing the frequency of hospice surveys; and amending the face-to-face requirement to reflect operational realities. Regardless of the outcome, it will help reinforce our concerns among all members of Congress. In fact, let me thank our many supporters of last month’s Capitol Hill Day events—the strategy sessions, the Pep Rally on the grounds of the Capitol, and meetings on the Hill. For me, last month’s entire Management and Leadership Conference reminded me of our power as a committed and unified group—yet every one of us has unique gifts to share and we each contribute to our mission of caring in an important way. As she often does, my dear friend and colleague, Mary Labyak, the president/CEO of Suncoast Hospice, seemed to sum it up best. I was privileged to present her with the NHF Healthcare Architect Award at this year’s Gala and in a personal note that followed, she wrote “I am just one person… we all have different talents and are at different points in our careers and our lives. We all have different messages that others are starved to hear.” It does indeed take a team, and I am proud that each of you has chosen to be part of NHPCO and to work toward our mission of helping patients and families live their best. J. Donald Schumacher President/CEO Hospice Advocates with Don during the Capitol Hill Pep Rally on April 6. NewsLine 3 http://www.hospiceactionnetwork.org/forcongress/help_hospice.html

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NewsLine - May 2011

POLST: An Evidence-based Tool for Advance Care Planning
A Message From Don
ICD-10: It’s Time to Begin Preparing
26th MLC Supporters (display ad)
Experience the ACHC Difference (display ad)
LifeBeat at Southern Tier Hospice and Palliative Care
Introducing NHPCO’s Custom Print Marketplace (display ad)
Voice of NCHPP: Spiritual Care: A Physician’s Perspective
NCHPP: Getting Involved
Recruiting Problems? HMR (display ad)
New - Hospice MDP Summer School (display ad)
CMS Clarifies Aspects of the Face-to-Face Encounter
Harvest: A New Film That Will Resonate With Members
Member News and Notes
Upcoming Educational Offerings
Cover 2

NewsLine - May 2011