Nhpco Podcast

  NHPCO released the first several chapters of the new Palliative Care Playbook last month. The playbook was created to help providers address the issues and challenges faced by starting or sustaining a community-based palliative care program. Hear a discussion with JR, Lori Bishop and Kathy Brandt and learn how you can utilize the playbook to improve your program. 

It's that time of the year again, CMS released the FY2020 Hospice Wage Index Proposed Rule. Team NHPCO breaks it down and lets you know the components that will have the biggest implications on providers, the importance of providing feedback and opportunities to do so. JR is very excited to make a classic movie/hospice analogy...and does not let it go.

In this special leadership episode, Jon R. sits down with former NHO President and CEO Jay Mahoney and Empath Health President and CEO Rafael Sciullo to discuss our evolution as an organization and how the principles that guided hospice over 40 years ago still hold true today. JR gets excited to learn one of our guests worked with hospice pioneer, Florence Wald.

CMS implemented the Service Intensity Add-on to incentivize visits during the last 7 days of life, however data has shown nearly 50% of patients do not receive a skilled visit during this time. Jennifer sits down with Jon R. to discuss why it is so important for providers to ensure this care is happening. Jon starts out with news on the upcoming NHPCO rebrand and new website.

NHPCO Is committed to helping the field understand ongoing issues of importance, one example is Medicare Advantage in hospice. Building on our collaboration with the Better Medicare Alliance, Edo Banach sits down with BMA President and CEO, Allyson Y. Schwartz to discuss opportunities and concerns on all sides of the issue. In June, our two organizations will hold a second invite only convening to further this conversation.

Jon R. sits down Judi Lund Person as she looks back at last year's Proposed Hospice Wage Index Rule and cites various elements where data are critical. We expect the next proposed rule to come out later next month, how will data play a part? Judi stressed the importance of data and speculates on what elements will continue to be a factor throughout 2019 and 2020 and beyond.

Jon R. sits down with Lori Bishop and Dr. Balu Natarajan for a conversation on palliative care. We know there are so many opportunities in community-based palliative care but there are also difficulties that remain in making it work. From distinguishing between hospice and palliative care, to appropriate scaling to reimbursement, this episode dives into what one program has done to be successful and what NHPCO is doing to help. And JR discusses his love of muffins.

CMS has just released it's 2018 top ten hospice survey deficiencies. Once again there are many repeat citations we’ve seen in previous years. Judi and Jennifer discuss their concerns over these most common deficiencies and why providers should be focusing their attention on them. And it's JR's favorite time of the year...awards season.

For the first of our more broad, leadership based topics we are discussing the recent hospice experience of NHPCO's COO, John Mastrojohn. He sits down with Jon R. and Lori Bishop to discuss the perspective of being on the other side of care and improvements all providers could consider. In this episode, JR says nothing funny.

To kick off the New Year, Jon R. sits down with Judi to discuss what providers can start thinking about at the beginning of the year to ease their compliance journey through 2019 and beyond. If you have a “regulatory resolution” for 2019, Judi offers some practical tips.

In this special year end episode, Edo Banach sits down with Drs. Thomas Edes and Scott Shreve from the Department of Veterans Affairs to discuss the important role hospice and palliative care plays for our country's veterans. Hear how the We Honor Veterans program began and what all providers should be considering when taking care of this special demographic.

Imagine Judi Lund Person and 1000 hospice professionals all in one hotel. In November, NHPCO welcomed many to the IDC in New Orleans. Jon asks Judi about the most frequent questions and observations from when she was onsite. From opioid disposal issues to some surprising takeaways. And hear JR fail in a role play as a family caregiver.

Jennifer provides some further insight into CAHPS and explains why is it so vital providers take full advantage. Don't let your CAHPS scores work against you. Remember it is an important way for providers to get feedback on patient and family experiences to strengthen your business and increase satisfaction. And JR talks about that time he got free floor mats.

We've discussed Hospice Compare on previous podcasts but Jennifer shares with Jon R. the newest updates and what providers need to be aware of. Remember Hospice Compare is a way the public can learn about your program so it's vital that providers have an understanding how it works.

Last month, we discussed the Congressional Ways and Means Committee's support for reducing regulatory burden (Episode 48). Since that podcast, CMS released the proposed rule on reducing regulatory burden for all medicare providers. What in the proposed rule will affect hospice? Judi and Jennifer pick up the discussion about the specifics that relate to hospice.

We welcome special guest, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, President and CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance who sits down with Edo Banach about the complex issue of Medicare Advantage in hospice. NHPCO is working with BMA to more fully explore issues that we as a provider community need to be familiar with. MA is a polarizing topic for many, but regardless all hospice providers should be informed because if we're proactively talking about this others will be doing this for us.

We keep hearing about the federal government wanting to reduce red tape and regulatory burden but what does that really mean and what has actually been happening? Judi and Jon R. sit down to discuss the progress that has been made toward this goal and what issues specific to hospice are being looked at. Hear how NHPCO has been involved in some of these discussions of what’s an ongoing priority of this administration. JR also tries to redeem himself and his cinematic preferences after last podcasts' admission.

Following up on one of our most popular episodes and in honor of National Emergency Preparedness Month, listen as Jennifer and JR discuss this important CoP. Hear stories from the field on how providers have implemented and benefited from this requirement when disaster hit and tips on how you can ensure you are compliant. JR also shares his biggest guilty pleasure.

While some of the issues explored in the recently released OIG portfolio report may be familiar to hospice providers, that does not undercut the importance of them. Judi and Jennifer share the concerns voiced by the OIG as well as recommendations CMS agrees with and remind providers of the top issues that continue to be a concern to regulators. And don't miss Jon disclosing his favorite summer fruit and two new councils we are excited to announce.