The decision by CMMI to conclude the Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID) Hospice Benefit Component (hospice carve-in) demonstration illustrates the complexities and challenges of incorporating the Medicare Hospice Benefit into the Medicare Advantage program. Since its inception, NPHI has worked proactively with CMMI and our members to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the VBID model and the broader health system evolution towards value-based care. All along, our primary goal has been ensuring the highest quality of care is available to all Medicare beneficiaries while preserving the unique role of non-profit, mission-driven providers. While we remain supportive of CMMI’s efforts to facilitate innovation, the termination of the VBID model and its varied outcomes demonstrate the potentially detrimental consequences of a carve-in that fails to fully consider the implications for non-profit, mission-driven providers, patients, and their families.
For almost a decade, NPHI has remained at the forefront of advocating for innovative approaches to improve healthcare delivery aimed at supporting the long-term sustainability of non-profit providers. Our members’ feedback and guidance have been invaluable in informing NPHI’s perspective on the carve-in and shaping our ongoing dialogue with leaders across CMS and Congress, despite the challenges encountered. While the demonstration may be concluding, our commitment to innovation remains unwavering. We will continue our efforts to modernize the Medicare hospice benefit, empower our members with the knowledge needed to collaborate effectively with value-based payers, and foster open dialogue among like-minded organizations focused on pathways for future success.
We extend our deepest gratitude to CMMI for their countless hours of work dedicated to facilitating innovation and improving the health system for patients and their families. We look forward to continued side-by-side engagement with CMMI, Congress, and other interested stakeholders to ensure that the future of hospice care is one that empowers patients at the end-of-life and positions NPHI members for mission-driven success.
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For press inquiries, please Contact Matt Wilkinson, NPHI Communications (801) 615-4207
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The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is a membership organization comprising 100+ not-for-profit, community-integrated hospice and palliative care providers dedicated to ensuring patients and their families have access to care that reflects their individual goals, values, and preferences. Representing providers from 37 states and the District of Columbia, NPHI and its members help design more innovative and effective models of care, advocate for comprehensive and community-integrated care customized to meet each person’s unique needs, and build collaboration between national thought leaders, decision-makers, and other healthcare stakeholders to improve hospice care. Learn more at hospiceinnovations.org.