New Rules Regarding Hospice Stays Respond To Patients With Unpredictable Illnesses Like Alzheimer’s And Heart Failure
The Philadelphia Inquirer: U.S. Rules Require Clearance For Long Hospice StaysNew government rules - enforcement kicked in last month - require hospices to send doctors or nurse practitioners for face-to-face visits with Medicare patients who have been on hospice more than six months to certify that the patients are really sick enough to need the program. The new rules came in response to lengthening hospice stays as services expanded beyond cancer patients to those with slower-moving and less predictable illnesses like heart failure, Alzheimer's, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Burling, 5/5). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.