NewsLine - April 2013 - (Page 6)

continued from previous page NHPCO HAN’s Advocacy Strategy for the Hill T his new research helps support our longstanding assertion that hospice as a healthcare model “cares more and costs less.” Within days of the study’s release, HAN held a Congressional briefing with the lead researcher, Dr. Amy Kelley, where she presented her findings and answered questions from Capitol Hill staff. Additionally, NHPCO HAN facilitated a series of smaller meetings between Dr. Kelley and staff from the Congressional Committees with jurisdiction over the Medicare Hospice Benefit and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). The goal was to facilitate the contact between key policy influencers and Dr. Kelley so that Congress has the latest information on the cost savings and high-quality care of hospice as it deals with many difficult decisions impacting all Medicare providers. 6 NewsLine What You Can Do HAN needs your help to spread the word in your communities. Here are just a few messages that you can use when incorporating this new research into your Hospice Advocacy efforts: • Hospice is part of the solution! Use the study in your outreach with Congress to show that high-quality, patient-centered care can save Medicare money. It’s an impactful message as your elected officials are struggling to reduce the national deficit. • Short stays mean less care— and less savings. We know that it’s difficult for patients and families to realize the full benefit of hospice care if they are only receiving services for a couple of days. The nation can do better in getting patients into hospice earlier, so that everyone— patients, families, and the healthcare system—can receive the full benefit of the Medicare Hospice Benefit. • Hospice should have a seat at the (ACO) table. The study makes a great case for having hospice involved in local Accountable Care Organizations. In an ACO, everyone has a vested interest in providing the best quality care in the most efficient way possible. Hospices have the expertise to help ACOs achieve these goals. If you have not already, look for opportunities to become engaged with ACOs in your region. This study should be in your ACO toolkit for these local discussions. If you haven’t yet engaged in Hospice Advocacy, this research is a great catalyst for getting started! HAN offers you many ways to get involved right from the HAN website. In fact, take a look at the cover story in the February issue of NewsLine for some great examples. It’s easier than you think. http://www.hospiceactionnetwork.org https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201302/#/0

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NewsLine - April 2013

New Research Validates That Hospice Saves Medicare Big Dollars
A Message From Don
NHPCO HAN’s Advocacy Strategy for the Hill
Simione Consulting (display ad)
Hospice Education Network (display ad)
Fraud and Abuse
Make an Impact: African PC Nursing Scholarship Fund (display ad)
Honoring Our Four-Legged Volunteers
Creating a Volunteer-Inclusive Culture
Do Your Colleagues Know They’re NHPCO Members Too?
New—Lighthouse of Hope Fund
R2R: Helping Hospice Staff Raise Needed Funds
A Great Resource for Your Referral Partners
Revised State Hospice Profiles (display ad)
NHPCO’s HPC Professional Scholarship Program (display ad)
Member News and Notes
Compliance Tip of the Month
Videos Worth Watching

NewsLine - April 2013