I agree that this represents a problem for a lot of reasons. First, some overly profit minded hospice owners may take the dying part into their own hands, and some may throw these people out. I have had extensive experience with hospice, and all that I have worked with have been excellent. As with every other industry there are always a few that are unreputable.
I question why the patients are being admitted so early to hospice though. It is designed and administered as palliative care and support through the dying process. Hospice level care isn’t really necessary until a patient is within a few months of dying. Possibly the admission requirements should be more closely controlled.
My concern is that a line must be drawn between hospice care and nursing home care. Medicare does not pay for long term nursing care, because it is very expensive. It does allow for hospice care because it is supposed to be short term. How can the caps be raised without hospice being turned into medicare provided nursing home care for all? I want to be sure that those in need of hospice receive it without worry of their death becoming a cost cutting measure. I would also like for my country to stay out of bankruptcy.
Through the entrance criteria. As you indicated, "Possibly the admission requirements should be more closely controlled." But no matter how tightly they are controlled, sometimes people are going to live longer than expected. In those cases, Medicare should step up to the plate and pay the bills.
I would also like for my country to stay out of bankruptcy.
Me too. There are plenty of things we could cut (i.e., aid to the Palestinians, funding for Planned Parenthood and the Endowment for the Arts) to provide for any additional monies needed.