Senators focused on palliative care and caregiver issues marked their first caucus meeting with expert testimony intended to increase awareness and understanding of support for patients with life-altering or life-ending conditions.
The Senate Comprehensive Care Caucus, led by Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Barrasso (R-WY), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), said they will spearhead policy improvements in palliative and related care across settings.
More states are expanding coverage of palliative care outside of hospital settings, giving millions of people access to supportive care that can ease symptoms even outside of hospice.
Several states have expanded benefits to adult Medicaid beneficiaries who have months or years left to live, a Stateline news service report found. Others now require providers to tell patients when palliative care could be beneficial.
But palliative care specialists are underrepresented in many settings, including skilled nursing facilities, with a significant shortage projected through 2045.
“We appreciate that these senators recognize the critical role of palliative care in the healthcare continuum and the need to expand access to this person-centered, coordinated care,” Edo Banach, President and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization said in a statement. NHPCO has said it wants to expand palliative care access, with reforms that include reducing regulatory burdens and changing the Medicare hospice benefit.
Earlier this year, caucus member Rosen introduced the bipartisan Provider Training in Palliative Care Act with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). The bill would update the National Health Service Corps program to include palliative care medicine as an eligible primary care service.
“Palliative care is an option that does not get the attention it deserves and is proven to improve outcomes as well as reduce the cost of treatment,” Rosen said at the time. “We must and can do more to help families caring for their loved ones.”
