CHAPCA DC Fly-In
The California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA) hosted its first DC Fly-In — a three-day advocacy event dedicated to advancing legislative priorities around hospice integrity, shaping public policy development, and cementing the future of the Medicare hospice benefit.
Kevin Tutunjian, our president and CHAPCA board member, participated in the event. The Fly-In offered an important chance to take part in the conversation around the future of hospice care in California and across the country.
Program integrity
The central focus of the advocacy agenda served to protect the Medicare hospice benefit from bad actors seeking to take advantage of the system. This kind of manipulation directly harms patients and families, and makes it harder for honest providers striving to provide thorough, dignified care. Distorted data reported by these bad actors can muddy the waters around making policy, and formulating effective guidelines.
Throughout the week, representatives from CHAPCA met with Members of Congress and federal policymakers, including CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and Deputy Administrator Kim Brandt, to discuss practical ways to strengthen the guardrails around hospice care.
Hospice is a non-partisan issue. As we often say, “We take care of everybody’s grandma.” The goal of all involved is to ensure families can feel confident they are choosing a provider that truly deserves their trust.
The conversations covered several other hospice-related bills from California and Texas lawmakers that aim to modernize the hospice benefit and strengthen program integrity measures. As with most legislation, some elements generated support while others called for closer review.
What matters most is that hospice providers remain engaged in these discussions and contribute thoughtful insight from the front lines of care, so policies reflect the realities of providing service for patients at the end of life.
The goal of hospice
Part of protecting hospice means helping consumers understand what good hospice care looks like. Families should know what questions to ask, what quality care should feel like, and how to identify providers who are truly committed to serving patients well. CHAPCA proudly champions these efforts to empower families with the education and resources they deserve through its Hospice Can Help initiative.
An interesting truth is that when hospice is done right, it is economically beneficial to the tax base. Hospice helps patients receive care at home and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and nursing facility stays. This not only improves the patient’s quality of life, but also preserves vital Medicare funds in the long run. The core of hospice is compassionate care, and smart stewardship is part of that.
At In the Arms of Grace Hospice, we believe advocacy is part of our mission. Showing up and speaking up helps protect the integrity of hospice care nation-wide. We were grateful to take part in the first CHAPCA DC Fly-In, and we hope it’s only the beginning.