In my long career working in advocacy and Coalitions, I often have had to communicate the harsh realities to health care providers that advocacy is a long marathon – it is not a sprint. Data and evidence can be stellar, however, policy change takes time. Advocacy impact and effectiveness is often hard to measure however, with patience and perseverance, clarity emerges.

On October 20, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a White Paper on CMS Innovation Center’s Strategy: Driving Health System Transformation - A Strategy for the CMS Innovation Center’s Second Decade.

I encourage all of you to read through this new vision for the nation’s largest payer of medical services – and I would say the largest influencer in all of health care. The new vision for the CMS Innovation Center is:  A health care system that achieves equitable outcomes through high quality, affordable, person-centered care. Sound familiar? This is where palliative care champions have played a role over time and now palliative care is considered a key strategy in CMS’s future plans. Read more.

 On behalf of our Coalition team, we wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. I want to express my gratitude to all of you who have worked for years to help educate and inform policy makers about the benefits of hospice and palliative care and to all of you for working to improve the care of people with serious illness each and every day.

Thank you!
Amy Melnick, MPA

Coalition Forms New Equity & Inclusion Workgroup
The Coalition is pleased to announce our new Equity & Inclusion Workgroup. that is comprised of representatives appointed from each member organization with demonstrated expertise in this area. The purpose of the workgroup is to:

• Advise, recommend, and take specific action (regulatory, legislative, quality, workforce, research, nominations or others as identified) on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Discuss questions, comments, or concerns in support of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the hospice and palliative care field; and
• Share best practices amongst the Coalition member organizations.

The workgroup held its first monthly meeting in September and provided valuable insights and input into the Coalition’s current strategic planning efforts.
Learn more about the Coalition’s DEI focus and from Coalition member organizations.

PCHETA Update: New Call for Investments in the Palliative Care and Hospice Workforce
For nearly a decade, the Coalition, many of our members and the Patient Quality of Life Coalition, chaired by the American Cancer Society – Cancer Action Network, have been working to advance the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (known as PCHETA). 

On September 16, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) sent a letter to Congressional leadership requesting that the upcoming reconciliation package include investments in the palliative care and hospice workforce to keep pace with patient need and to help improve the well-being of Americans with serious illnesses and their families.
                                        

The Coalition (@CoalitionHPC) is grateful to @SenatorBaldwin (left) and @RepYvetteClarke (right) for their leadership. Please tweet them a THANK YOU for their continued advocacy on behalf of patients, caregivers and families who need palliative care! Stay Tuned for the latest updates on this changing legislation @CoalitionHPC.

To learn more, read their joint press release. 

Coalition Endorses "Provider Training in Palliative Care Act" (S. 2890) 
On September 29, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), both members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, announced the introduction of their Provider Training in Palliative Care Act (S.2890). This bipartisan legislation would allow members of the National Health Service Corps to defer their service for up to a year to do additional training in palliative care.

The Provider Training in Palliative Care Act was endorsed by the Coalition and other key stakeholders, including AARP, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, C-TAC, National Association for Home Care and Hospice, National Partnership for Hospice Innovation, National Rural Health Association, and American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

                            
Thank you @SenJackyRosen (left) and @lisamurkowski (right) for their bi-partisan leadership and efforts to improve access to #hospice and #palliativecare, and training of #HAPC professionals. Please thank them via Twitter too!

To learn more, read bill S. 2890 and their joint press release.

RAISE Family Caregivers Act Initial Report Delivered to Congress
On September 22, 2021, the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Act Family Caregiving Advisory Council delivered its initial report to Congress that includes a comprehensive review of the current state of family caregiving and 26 recommendations for how the federal government, states, tribes, territories, and communities—in partnership with the private sector—can better Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage family caregivers. 

The report specifically states, “the lack of an adequately trained direct support workforce—especially in geriatrics, public health, palliative care, mental health, substance use, and related topics—impairs the ability to provide person- and family-centered care.” Download the full report and note recommendation 2.5 on page 95.

To learn more, read the press release and RAISE Family Caregivers Act factsheet.

New Patient-Reported Experience Measures Available for Palliative Care and Other Providers
The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), in partnership with the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care and RAND Corporation, is pleased to announce the completion of a three-year Palliative Care Measures Project funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop patient-reported quality measures for community-based palliative care for use in CMS’s Quality Payment Program (QPP).

Two new patient-reported experience are now available for palliative care and other providers to implement in their practice. Specifically, the measures assess the quality of care provided by asking: 1) How much patients felt heard and understood, and 2) If patients got the help they wanted for their pain.

Read the research brief that summarizes how the measures were created and tested, and learn more details on the new project website.

National Pediatric Palliative Care Task Force to Hold First Annual Meeting
The National Pediatric Palliative Care Task Force (PPCTF) will hold its first annual (virtual) meeting, November 18-19.  The meeting agenda includes:

• Understanding and discussing the most critical palliative care needs of children and families.
• Identifying and discussing environmental trends and factors that could impact the PPC field and/or work of the Task Force.
• Identifying opportunities to find a “seat at the table” and for the Task Force to continue to influence and engage in national and state PPC initiatives and policies; and
• Strengthening linkages among the Task Force members, alternates and family advisors.

The agenda also includes concentrated time for the three PPCTF workgroups – Payment & Finance, Needs Assessment, and Knowledge and Awareness – to continue developing and advancing their work on these key priorities.

Learn more about the Task Force and to stay informed subscribe to PPC NOW, PPCTF’s quarterly e-newsletter. 

Biden-Harris Administration Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Care Workers
The Biden-Harris Administration is requiring COVID-19 vaccination of eligible staff at health care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The emergency regulation was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Nov. 4.  The Coalition continues to monitor the Biden-Harris administration efforts to expand vaccination requirements for health care settings and is pleased that several of our member organizations have issued specific statements. Read the following: 

• American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM)
• Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA)
• National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC)
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and National Home Care and Hospice Month!
November is #Homecare & #HospiceMonth. Each week we will join our members @NHPCO_news and @NAHC to focus on stories, stats, and resources related to #hospice and #homecare. Join us. Be sure to follow and retweet.
NASEM Roundtable to Host Workshop on the Impact of COVID-19 
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness will host a series of three free virtual webinars to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on caring for people with serious illness, and consider lessons learned and future directions. Each webinar will build on the lessons learned throughout the different stages of the pandemic, as well as highlight how science and information evolved over time.

The first webinar will be held November 8, 2021, 12:00 - 3:00 PM ET and will focus specifically on the impact and early innovative responses to the pandemic. The following two webinars will be held on November 18 and 30. Register for the free webinar.

Enjoy a Feel-Good Moment
Listen to the Northwell Health Nurse Choir sing their inspirational performance during America’s Got Talent (AGT) finale!

NHPCO Facts & Figures Report Now Available
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) published the 2021 edition of NHPCO Facts and Figures, a free report produced annually to provide an overview of hospice care delivery in the U.S., with specific information on hospice patient characteristics, location and level of care, reaching diverse communities, Medicare hospice spending, hospice provider characteristics, and much more. 

NCP Guidelines: A Palliative Care Essential
The National Consensus Project’s Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, 4th edition, (NCP Guidelines) creates a blueprint for excellence by establishing a comprehensive foundation for gold-standard palliative care for all people living with serious illness, regardless of their diagnosis, prognosis, age or setting. Available to download or purchase HERE.