Health Payer Intelligence November 30, 2023
The Medicare Care Choices Model increased hospice use and reduced net Medicare spending by 13 percent.
The Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM) improved end-of-life care, increased hospice use, and reduced inpatient admissions for Medicare beneficiaries while simultaneously lowering Medicare spending, a study published in Health Affairs found.
Beneficiaries can receive palliative care through the Medicare hospice benefit, but when choosing that route, they must waive the right to Medicare payment for non-hospice services that treat their terminal condition. Due to this policy, beneficiaries who want to continue conventional treatment of their illness may postpone or avoid hospice enrollment. Hospice and palliative care have been shown to improve care satisfaction and quality of life for terminally ill beneficiaries and their caregivers.
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