MedPAC Examines Hospice Utilization and Quality Issues

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) focused on “Hospice utilization and quality issues” at its April 10 meeting. It was pointed out that Medicare spending on the hospice benefit has nearly doubled over five years from $5.6 billion in Fiscal Year 2003 to more than $10 billion in 2007 but there has been no systematic…