Numbers Tell the Story: New Research Further Demonstrates Hospice Not Only Improves Quality of Life, It Saves Money For Medicare
Numerous surveys and studies document the benefits of hospice services for patients and for health plans. When the goal of reversing an illness is no longer possible, hospice focuses on the patient and family, relieving pain and other symptoms while maintaining dignity, providing peace of mind, and attending to physical, emotional, and spiritual concerns.
While I tend to remain in the warm and fuzzy realm of what I choose to do as a professional-representing the beautiful benefit called hospice, it’s recently become important as well for me to understand the impact end of life care has on our Medicare system because at the end of the day, this does and will impact all of us one way or another.
In a 2013 study published in Health Affairs titled “Hospice Enrollment Saves Money for Medicare and Improves Care Quality Across a Number of Different Lengths-of-Stay,” author Kelley and colleagues demonstrated that increased hospice referrals increased Medicare savings and decreased hospital readmissions, ICU use and hospital deaths.
Net savings to Medicare occurred across all hospice enrollment periods studied: 1-7 days, 8-14 days, 15-30 days, and 53-105 days.
Enrolling 1,000 additional beneficiaries in hospice for the final 53-105 day of their lives could save Medicare more than $2.5 million.
Enrolling 1,000 additional beneficiaries in hospice for 15-30 days could save Medicare more than $6.4 million
Hospice care is most beneficial when it is provided for months, rather than weeks or days not only in savings to the system, but more importantly to me the focus on comfort and psycho-social wellbeing for patients and families. In addition to managing pain and symptoms, hospice can enable a meaningfully longer and better quality of life. The added time offers an opportunity to address spiritual needs as well as financial, practical, and relational matters.
If you or anyone you know would like to understand more about what hospice is, please do not hesitate to contact Connect Our Elders at 844-353-3776. Whether it is for a loved one or you are a professional working with clients in need of understanding hospice, Connect Our Elders is here to listen and guide.
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