Act today
Hosparus offers a wide range of services, but we try to make it easy to use them. If you are ready to take action today, this page can be your starting point. The links at the side and the top of the page lead to our permanent menu of act-today options.
Support the Medicare Hospice Protection Act
- Administration seeks 15 percent cut in hospice rates.
- Contact your congressional representative today! Your voice matters!
(Sept. 22, 2008) - Ask your congressional representative to co-sponsor the Medicare Hospice Protection Act - HR 6873/S 3484 - before cuts go into effect on Oct. 1.
Lawmakers introduce bill to put hold on cut to hospice Medicare reimbursement
Late last week, The Medicare Hospice Protection Act, H.R. 6873/S. 3484 was introduced to delay the implementation of the proposed hospice rate cut. Time is running out to get this passed before phased implementation of the rate cut begins on October 1.
Earlier this year, CMS announced that it will cut Medicare reimbursement rates for hospice, forcing many hospice providers across the country to either significantly scale back care at the bedside or to shut their doors altogether. The rule alters the wage index adjustment by phasing out the budget neutrality adjustment factor (BNAF) that was applied to the hospice wage index in 1997 to minimize the disruption in beneficiary access to hospice services. If implemented, such a reduction would cut hospice reimbursement by almost $2.2 billion. Average hospice reimbursement would be reduced from current levels by more than 4 percent. The final rule, published in The Federal Register, is effective October 1, 2008.
Here’s how you can help:
Ask your congressional representative to sign on as a cosponsor of the Medicare Hospice Protection Act today. The deadline for action is Wednesday, October 1.
The CMS rate cut would dramatically impact the care that hospices around the country, including Hosparus – The Community Hospices of Louisville, Southern Indiana and Central Kentucky – can provide to those who need us most. To learn more about this proposed cut, you can go to http://capwiz.com/nhpco/home/.
Hosparus, a non-profit organization, has delivered care through Hospice of Louisville, Hospice of Southern Indiana and Hospice of Central Kentucky for 30 years. With your help, we can ensure the long-term viability of hospice care in our region.
Please consider contacting your congressional representative today. If you’re not sure who that is, visit www.votesmart.org.
Sample letter
Download this example letter as a Microsoft Word document.
September 22, 2008
The Honorable (John Doe)
ADDRESS – LOCAL OR WASHINGTON
Dear Senator (Doe)/ Representative (Doe):
On behalf of the more than 1.3 million Americans and their families who will be served by hospice this year, I ask that you cosponsor the bipartisan, bicameral Medicare Hospice Protection Act, HR 6873/S 3484.
As you may know, CMS recently finalized a regulation that will cut hospice reimbursement by an average of 4-5%. As MedPAC reported in its June Report to Congress, the average margin for hospices is 3.4%. So it is easy to see that cuts of this magnitude will force programs to scale back services or close their doors permanently.
This action seems morally and fiscally irresponsible, as an independent 2007 Duke University study found that hospice saves Medicare an average of $2,300 per patient, or more than $2 billion annually.
To remedy this short-sighted regulatory maneuver, the Medicare Hospice Protection Act will delay the implementation of the rule, scheduled for October 1, 2008, for one year. As a dedicated member of the hospice community and someone invested in seeing this Medicare benefit available for future generations, I ask you to sign on as a cosponsor of the Medicare Hospice Protection Act today.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Your name/address (including zip code)]
