What does the future hold for hospice in the present envirornment?

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Public Health Policy
• Gerontology

Background:

• Medicare Hospice Benefit (MHB) expenditures reached $10 billion in 2007 and are projected to double within a decade.
• Hospice utilization among Medicare decedents increased from 27% in 2000 to 40% in 2007.
• Hospice spending saw a 20% increase between 2004-2005, significantly outpacing overall Medicare spending growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the rapid growth in Medicare Hospice Benefit utilization and expenditures.
• To identify the key government bodies and legislative entities paying attention to this trend.
• To understand the implications of increased long-term hospice care.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Medicare expenditure data.
• Review of utilization statistics for hospice care.
• Examination of reports and attention from regulatory bodies like CMS, Congress, MedPAC, and OIG.

Main Results:

• Significant increase in hospice care usage and associated spending.
• Growing trend of patients receiving hospice care for extended periods (over six months).
• Heightened scrutiny from governmental and advisory organizations.

Conclusions:

• The substantial growth in Medicare Hospice Benefit necessitates ongoing monitoring and policy evaluation.
• Increased long-term hospice care utilization presents new challenges and considerations for the program.
• Governmental attention indicates a focus on the sustainability and oversight of the MHB.