7/21/16 HAN s Policy Agenda Sharon Pearce HAN s Legisla-ve Agenda Sharon Scribner Vice President, Public Policy Pearce Public Policy July VP, 18, 2016 Agenda What is the Hospice AcDon Network? HAN s LegislaDve Agenda Advocacy in your backyard PuJng it all together 1
7/21/16 What is the Hospice AcDon Network? NHPCO Affiliate dedicated to preserving and expanding access to hospice care by: Building a powerful grassroots network Leveraging technology to inform and mobilize grassroots supporters Maintaining a strong Congressional presence CulDvaDng media reladonships A Grassroots Army More than 50,000 advocates in the HAN Database Grasstops supporters in more than 100 key States/Congressional Districts In other words, YOU. 2
7/21/16 A Strong Social Media Presence 9000+ Facebook Followers 6000+ Twicer followers 120,000 social media impressions in June A Powerful Lobbying Presence 3
Priority SeJng Process NHPCO surveys members on challenges/ priorides Determines whether they are policy or regulatory IdenDfies/crafs soludons Public Policy approves/signs off on legisladve agenda Policy Congress writes policy to instruct the Administra-on Rules as we want them to be AspiraDonal Require an Act of Congress to change Regulatory The Administra-on interpreta-on of Congress intent Rules as they are today More technical/operadonal Can be changed administradvely 4
Policy v. Regulatory One can feed the other Part D Ruling Congressional Response Revised guidance HAN Policy Prism Promote policies that ensure: Timely access to hospice and palliadve care services Access to qualified, trained workforce Appropriate reimbursement for services EffecDve oversight to promote high quality care, transparency, accountability and padent choice 5
HAN-Led IniDaDves Care Planning Act Personalize Your Care Act Rural Access to Hospice Act MA Carve-in SupporDng the Hospice Community PalliaDve Care and Hospice Training and EducaDon Act (PCHETA) HR 3119/S 2748 Medicare PaDent Access to Hospice Act (HR 1202/S. 1354) Compassionate Care Act (S. 2961) 6
Care Planning Act (S. 1549) Introduced by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) Creates a new Medicare benefit for care planning services, delivered by an IDT Creates a pilot program for Advanced Illness Coordina-on Services Directs the HHS Secretary to develop quality metrics, public educadon and resource development on advance care planning. Personalize Your Care Act (HR 5555) Introduced by Congressmen Blumenauer (D-OR) and Roe (R-TN) Creates a demonstradon that allows padents to receive concurrent hospice and conven-onal therapies. Provides funding to support advance care planning by: CreaDng tools that emphasize the importance of ardculadng goals of care, developing a care plan, and documentadon Improving the accessibility and portability of care planning documents Provider training Expanding POLST programs Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to include end-of-life quality measures as part of other delivery system reforms. 7
Rural Access to Hospice Act S. 2786 introduced by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) House bill introduced by RepresentaDves Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) and Ron Kind (D-WI) Allows clinicians at Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers to provide and get reimbursed for hospice acending physician services. MA Carve-In Chronic Care Work Group proposed including hospice under Medicare Advantage (MA Carvein) in December 2015 Details are unknown, but this change could: Inhibit access to hospice (in-network/pre-approval) Undermine autonomy of the hospice medical director Water-down the benefit Increase administradve burden Reduce reimbursement 8
MA Carve-in, cont d Supported by MedPAC, some insurance plans Opposed by NHPCO, other insurance plans, other hospice groups CCWG considering a demonstradon to test this out Currently in a bit of a holding pacern, but we sdll must express our opposidon The Asks Senate: Cosponsor S. 1549 Cosponsor S. 278 6 Oppose proposed MA Carve In House Cosponsor HR 5555 Cosponsor HR xxxx 9
7/21/16 Advocacy in Your Backyard This week is half the bacle RelaDonships must be maintained Home field advantage Advocacy in Your Backyard Site visits We Honor Veterans In-district meedngs Town hall meedngs Parades Lecers to the editor Social media 10
Advocacy in Your Backyard Work with state hospice organizadons, your peer organizadons and other stakeholders on state and local issues A case study Policy issue: MA Carve In 10,000 + emails to SFC members NHPCO meedngs with SFC members High-level touch between hospices and Senators [Hospice CEO] cornered my boss at a town hall about this last week. He called my desk 10 minutes later to make sure we didn t do anything to hurt the hospices. SFC condnues to deliberate policy changes; slowed the process; likely will result in more carefully crafed policy changes 11