NHPCO NewsLine Winter 2021 - 19

NHPCO Delivers for Hospice
and Palliative Care
NHPCO is an Effective Advocate and Resource
for Hospice and Palliative Care Providers
Throughout 2021, the provider community has faced a myriad of challenges that include workforce shortages, staff
burnout, compliance questions, supply chain challenges, and a national grief shared by all Americans. However, providers
have met these trials and remain undaunted in the mission to deliver person- and family-centered, interdisciplinary care.
Despite a year with a myriad of stressors, NHPCO has been dedicated to serving the hospice and palliative care
community. What follows are some key accomplishments from 2021.
Your Voice in Washington
▌ On Capitol Hill and with the Administration: In 2021
NHPCO ensured the federal government heard the
concerns of hospice and palliative care providers.
Keeping Track of Rules
▌ Hospice Wage Index and Quality Reporting Rule:
Through NHPCO's advocacy - CMS clarified issues
regarding the use of the election statement addendum,
making it easier for hospices to comply with the
regulation. In addition, the rule made permanent
temporary waivers related to aides.
▌ CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule:
Contains the implementing regulations allowing
physicians with Federally Qualified Health Centers and
Rural Health Clinics to follow their patients when they
elect hospice. This is the final step in NHPCO's long
effort to eliminate this barrier to hospice.
▌ CY 2022 ESRD proposed rule: The Kidney Care Choices
program in this rule provides for concurrent hospice
care for Medicare beneficiaries receiving dialysis. This is
the culmination of many years of NHPCO's advocacy.
▌ CY 2022 Home Health Proposed Rule: NHPCO
advocated for increased surveyor competency and
more consistency in the survey process across states as
well as between state agencies and accrediting
organizations. As part of this effort NHPCO provided
comprehensive recommendations for modifying the
online surveyor training modules.
On suspension of payments, NHPCO is seeking
regulatory consistency, such that the remedy is limited
to " all new admissions " and only for deficiencies posing
immediate jeopardy.
Long, Long, Too Long COVID
While the pandemic has dragged on, NHPCO continued to
make sure federal decision makers understood the unique
needs of hospice and palliative care providers. For
example, through NHPCO advocacy HHS changed PRF
reporting requirements to allow lost fundraising revenue
and lost thrift store revenue to be counted as lost revenue.
▌ On the Hill, NHPCO advocates lobbied to ensure
telehealth flexibilities given to hospice providers were
included in relevant telehealth legislation including the
CONNECT for Health Act and Telehealth Modernization
Act.
▌ In addition, NHPCO worked to keep the Provider Relief
Fund from being used as a pay-for for the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Framework and advocated for a 4th
round disbursement of the Provider Relief Fund.
▌ NHPCO also successfully lobbied to extend the
moratorium on the Medicare Sequester.
▌ Secured bipartisan introduction in the Senate of the
Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act to implement a
Community-Based Palliative Care Demonstration at
CMMI.
Newsline / Winter 2021 19

NHPCO NewsLine Winter 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine Winter 2021