Federal officials announced Monday more than 140 hospices are lined up to participate in a pilot project that will allow 150,000 Medicare beneficiaries more choice in their end-of-life care, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The pilot will allow participating Medicare beneficiaries to simultaneously receive hospice services and curative treatments. Patients with advanced cancer, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, HIV and AIDS will have access to hospice care as part of the program, according to the report.
The pilot expands on a three-year project announced last year with 30 hospices that never launched. This version of the project not only includes more participants, but also extends the duration of the program to five years, according to the report.
To fund the program, CMS will pay $200 to $400 per beneficiary per month to the hospices, according to the report. About 70 of the hospices will participate in the pilot from Jan. 1, 2016 through Dec. 31, 2020 and the remaining entities will participate from Jan. 1, 2008 through Dec. 31, 2020.
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