October 4th, Representatives Van Duyne (R-TX), Blumenauer (D-OR), Wenstrup (R-OH), and Panetta (D-CA) sent a letter to CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure and OMB Director Shalanda Young about CMS’s proposal around the hospice special focus program. The Congressional offices noted that the algorithm as proposed would not succeed in targeting the poorest performing hospices, which is the goal of the proposed SFP. The letter highlights concerns LeadingAge raised in their comment letter regarding the overweighting of CAHPs and issues with existing survey data. The letter asks that CMS revisit the algorithm with the Technical Expert Panel (TEP) based on these concerns and give hospices a preview prior to the formal launch of the program.
Since the SFP was created via the HOSPICE Act, adding the Congressional voice to the mix of those asking for reform of the proposal is critically important, and LeadingAge thanks Representatives Van Duyne, Blumenauer, Wenstrup, and Panetta for voicing their concerns and their support for an accurate program. LeadingAge supports the idea of the SFP, but if it is not done right, they fear that beneficiaries would actually be harmed because they might end up selecting poorer performing hospices if the wrong hospices end up on the eligible list or in the program. See more information on the letter here and the LeadingAge press statement here.
