In 2011, approximately 44.6 percent of all deaths in the United States. were under the care of a hospice program (National Hospice and Palliative Care Organizatoin, 2012, p. 4)
Obermeyer, Powers, Makar, Keating, and Cutler assert that evidence suggests that hospice care is able to acknowledge and implement patients' needs and preferences at the end of life, decrease the cost of health care, and improve quality of life and care experiences for families and patients (Obermeyer, Powers, Makar, Keating & Cutler, 2015).
Medicare funded hospice programs are especially needed by those who live in rural areas. However, communities that are more rural are less likely to have a hospice program which is Medicare certified (Campbell, Merwin, Yan, 2009). As the designation of a county became more rural, the percentage of the population living below the poverty level increased. Reducing the financial burden that patients and families face is an important issue, without the help of hospice, many families cannot afford the appropriate supplies needed to care for loved ones (Campbell, Merwin & Yan, 2009). …show more content…
350). For those who use Medicare benefits, hospice reduces the overall cost of healthcare for beneficiaries by $2,300, more than 3.5 billion each year (Meier, 2011, p. 351). Therefore, hospice programs improve the value of health care by enhancing quality of care while simultaneously reducing the expenditure (facing our health care system).(reduce the costs facing our health care system.
Obermeyer, Powers, Makar, Keating, and Cutler assert that evidence suggests that hospice care is able to acknowledge and implement patients' needs and preferences at the end of life, decrease the cost of health care, and improve quality of life and care experiences for families and patients (Obermeyer, Powers, Makar, Keating & Cutler, 2015).
Medicare funded hospice programs are especially needed by those who live in rural areas. However, communities that are more rural are less likely to have a hospice program which is Medicare certified (Campbell, Merwin, Yan, 2009). As the designation of a county became more rural, the percentage of the population living below the poverty level increased. Reducing the financial burden that patients and families face is an important issue, without the help of hospice, many families cannot afford the appropriate supplies needed to care for loved ones (Campbell, Merwin & Yan, 2009). …show more content…
350). For those who use Medicare benefits, hospice reduces the overall cost of healthcare for beneficiaries by $2,300, more than 3.5 billion each year (Meier, 2011, p. 351). Therefore, hospice programs improve the value of health care by enhancing quality of care while simultaneously reducing the expenditure (facing our health care system).(reduce the costs facing our health care system.