Aims to increase choice and quality by enabling individuals to receive palliative and curative care concurrently

Clearwater, Fla. –  Suncoast Hospice, a member of Empath Health, has been selected by the Department of Health and Human Services to participate in the expansion of the Medicare Care Choices Model. The model provides Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for coverage under the Medicare Hospice Benefit and dually eligible beneficiaries who qualify for the Medicaid Hospice Benefit the option to elect to receive supportive care services typically provided by hospice and continue to receive curative services at the same time.This announcement is part of a larger effort at the Department of Health and Human Services to transform our health care system to deliver better care, spend our dollars in a smarter way, and put patients in the center of their care.

All eligible hospices across the country were invited to apply to participate in the model. Due to robust interest, CMS expanded the model from an originally anticipated 30 Medicare-certified hospices to over 140 and extended the duration of the model from 3 to 5 years. This is expected to enable as many as 150,000 eligible Medicare beneficiaries with advanced cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who receive services from participating hospices to experience this new option and flexibility.

Participating hospices will provide services under the model that are currently available under the Medicare Hospice Benefit for routine home care and respite levels of care, but cannot be separately billed under Medicare Parts A, B, and D.  Services will be available around the clock, 365 calendar days per year and CMS will pay a per-beneficiary, per-month fee to participating hospices when delivering these services under the model.  Services will begin January 1, 2016 for the first phase of participating hospices and in January 2018 for the remaining participating hospices, including Suncoast Hospice.

“Suncoast Hospice is pleased to be chosen to participate in this pilot project that will help us serve more patients at the end of their lives,” said President and CEO of Empath Health Rafael J. Sciullo. “Patients will not have to make that very difficult decision between comfort and cure but can focus on living each day to the fullest.”

Individuals who wish to receive services under the model must fall into certain categories:

  • Must be diagnosed with certain terminal illnesses (e.g., advanced cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome);
  • Must meet hospice eligibility requirements under the Medicare or Medicaid Hospice Benefit;
  • Must not have elected the Medicare or Medicaid Hospice Benefit within the last 30 days prior to their participation in the Medicare Care Choices Model;
  • Must receive services from a hospice that is participating in the model; and
  • Must have satisfied model’s other eligibility criteria.

More information about the announcement is available at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2015pres/2015.html.

For additional information on the model or list of participating hospices, visit http://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Medicare-Care-Choices/ and http://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2015-Fact-sheets-items/2015-07-20.html.

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About Empath Health: Empath Health is a non-profit integrated network of care that provides expert, life-changing health care to those with chronic and advanced illnesses. Empath Health includes hospice, palliative home health and physician services, independent living assistance and day care for seniors, HIV services and advance care planning. Contact Empath Health at 727-467-7423 or EmpathHealth.org.