Volunteers and Staff Act to Save Hospice Services
When proposed state and federal budget cuts put hospice services in peril, the volunteers and staff of HospiceCare of Southeast Florida joined the advocacy effort that led to the preservation of hospice services. The state and federal effort, advocated against the elimination of the Medicaid hospice benefit and the phasing out of the Medicare Hospice Benefit. Volunteers called and wrote letters to their elected officials, urging them to save the hospice benefit. In their communications, our volunteers shared personal stories from their volunteer experiences with patients and families. “I was touched by our volunteers impassioned response and their commitment to our mission, “Lourdes Can?ete, Volunteer Coordinator, Miami-Dade. With 100% participation from staff, HospiceCare of Southeast Florida employees were eager to participate in this important effort. Hospice is a cost effective and compassionate health care delivery system for the patients facing end of life. The proposed Medicare reduction would have cut hospice reimbursement by more than $2.3 billion, greatly jeopardizing the future of this unique program. The Medicaid elimination would have cut services to our most vulnerable and cost the state $76.9 million. A recent independent Duke University study clearly demonstrated that on average, hospice saves Medicare more than $2,300 per patient and goes on to say, “Given that hospice has been widely demonstrated to improve quality of life of patients and family members the Medicare program appears to have a rare situation whereby something that improves quality of life also appears to reduce costs.” Americans are now promised the opportunity to live the end of their lives free of pain and with emotional and spiritual support. More than 80% of hospice patients are Medicare beneficiaries.
(l-r) Irene Martinez, Medical Records; Rosario Alvarez, Team Manager; and Gisell Hernandez, Team Manager, busy writing letters to their elected officials.
