The Alliance on CMS Hospice Special Focus Program Implementation: “Doubling Down on a Dangerous Decision, Eager to Work with Incoming Administration to Fix.”
(Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC) – The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement in response to the news of hospice providers filing litigation against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) over their flawed implementation of the Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). The Alliance and the broader hospice community, who have been engaged on this program since its inception, have repeatedly shared concerns directly with CMS staff at all levels. They warned that this approach would inflict unnecessary harm to patient care, cause confusion to families when selecting a hospice provider to care for their loved ones at the end of life, and will cause some providers to sustain irreparable damage. These concerns have been echoed by lawmakers, providers, and the leading national hospice trade organizations.
“With CMS doubling down on a dangerous course of action by proceeding with the Hospice SFP in its current state—and offering no due process or administrative recourse to address or mitigate its flaws—some hospice providers will suffer irreparable harm and have no choice but to seek justice through the courts on behalf of their patients and mission,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the Alliance. “CMS’ failure to heed the concerns repeatedly voiced by lawmakers, hospice leaders, and other stakeholders has led to the creation and rushed rollout of a program that is disconnected from its original spirit and intent. After releasing an initial list of purportedly underperforming hospices, CMS quickly removed some providers and adjusted metrics for others within days, underscoring the hasty and flawed implementation.”
“Because CMS is moving forward with this faulty approach, unfairly impacted providers are taking necessary and decisive action to challenge these harmful policies. The lawsuit filed by members of the hospice community – including the state associations representing hospice providers in Texas, Indiana, North Carolina and South Carolina – is intended to stop this flawed process and protect patients at the most vulnerable time in their lives. In the meantime, the Alliance is committed to working with the Trump administration to uphold high standards of care and ensure that bad actors are correctly identified, held accountable, and removed from the program.”
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About the National Alliance for Care at Home
The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is a new national organization representing providers of home care, home health, hospice, palliative care, and other health care services mainly delivered in the home. The Alliance brings together two organizations with nearly 90 years of combined experience: NAHC and NHPCO. NAHC and NHPCO are in the process of combining operations to better serve members and lead into the future of care offered in the home. Learn more at www.AllianceForCareAtHome.org.
Press Contacts
communications@allianceforcareathome.org
Elyssa Katz | 571-281-0220
Thomas Threlkeld | 202-547-7424
