Policy Issue: Equity and Inclusion
Our Position
We must advance health equity by removing structural barriers to high-quality hospice and community-based palliative care and building trust by offering education and culturally appropriate outreach and resources to improve communication and increase transparency.
Resources
- Project ECHO with NHPCO
Previous Legislation
- 116th Congress (2019-2020): H.R.2594 / S.1190: “Rural Access to Hospice” (RAH) Act: This legislation would allow clinicians serving Rural Health Centers (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to serve as hospice attending physicians and receive payments under Medicare Part B. Provisions of the RAH Act were included and passed within the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133).
- 115th Congress (2017-2018): H.R.1828 / S.980: “Rural Access to Hospice” (RAH) Act: This legislation would allow clinicians serving Rural Health Centers (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to serve as hospice attending physicians and receive payments under Medicare Part B. Provisions of the RAH Act were included and passed within the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133).
Activities
- January, 2024: Letter signed by 80 organizations serving rural and frontier communities highlighting challenges and concerns of hospice and palliative care providers.
- October, 2023: Letter in response to Request for Information from House Ways and Means Committee on improving access to health care in rural and underserved areas.
- December, 2022: Angel Awards recognizing Congressional Champions, including those championing rural hospice care.
- April, 2022: Press Release calling on Congress to oppose Medicare sequestration due to a variety of harmful impacts, including to rural and underserved communities.
- March, 2020: Priority Issue (Rural Access to Hospice Act) at Virtual Advocacy Day 2020.
- February, 2020: Priority Issue (Rural Access to Hospice Act) at We Are Hospice Event on Capitol Hill.
- January, 2020: Policy Update in support of the Rural Access to Hospice Act (H.R.2594 / S.1190).
- November, 2019: Testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee in support of the Rural Access to Hospice Act (H.R.2594 / S.1190).
- October, 2019: Blog on studies indicating Medicare cost savings by reducing racial disparities in hospice care.
- September, 2019: Priority Issue (Rural Access to Hospice Act) at Ambassador Fall Fly-In event.
- June, 2019: National endorsements in support of the Rural Access to Hospice Act (H.R.2594 / S.1190).
- June, 2019: Action Alert in support of the Rural Access to Hospice Act (H.R.2594 / S.1190).