A recent report reveals that the amount of money Medicare spent on hospice care increased more than 53 percent between 2005 and 2009 to $12 billion, according to a government report.
The need for hospice care continues to grow, while the number of hospice patients increase. The trend of increased attention, focus, and funding for hospice care is worthy of applause. The government insistence, however, on giving most of its funding to For Profit hospice is lamentable as not only a problem in hospice care, but an illustration of larger problems in the American health care system.
The report states, "According to the Department of Health and Human Services, more than half of hospices in 2009 were for-profit. These same hospices received more money from Medicare than non-profit and government-owned hospices, even though there are far fewer of them."
As the Blue Skies Hospice blog has pointed out before, for-profit hospices are more likely to cut costs by cutting care, which means the patients and their families suffer.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that for-profit hospices had more patients with illnesses linked to fewer medical needs and longer lengths of stay, resulting in higher payments.
Clearly, the focus for for-profit hospices is what its name indicates, profit. Few medical needs and longer lenghts of stay means greater profit, which translates into hyper-selectivity of patients.
Blue Skies Hospice is a not-for-profit hospice that accepts all patients, regardless of medical need, potential length of stay, and income level. Blue Skies is also taking donations that will directly go to the assistance of patient care and family support. Your donation will help secure the Blue Skies mission of providing competent and compassionate care for all patients.
