PCHPCA: VA expanding hospice, palliative care benefit

On Nov. 11, the nation marks Veterans Day and thanks veterans for their service. With this in mind, the Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association is sharing that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is working to enhance veterans’ quality of life at the end of life by expanding hospice and palliative care utilization.

This is being accomplished both in its own facilities and through collaborations with private health care providers so that veterans receive care more aligned with their goals.

Unlike the Medicare hospice benefit, the VA hospice benefit does not require patients to end curative treatment to enroll in hospice, and VA health benefits will cover both concurrently. This policy has helped increase utilization of hospice and palliative care in VA facilities and also helped improve patient satisfaction and performance on quality metrics.

Currently, all VA medical centers have interdisciplinary palliative care teams for consultative services, and close to 100 have dedicated inpatient hospice units. However, like most patients, the majority of veterans choose to receive hospice care in their home, for which the VA relies on community providers. Currently, 94 percent of veterans in hospice care receive services outside the VA health system.

For information about their or loved ones’ eligibility to receive the VA hospice benefit, persons should contact their local VA provider.

The Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association is a nonprofit public charity that has joined national, state and community efforts to increase the quality of life for seriously ill persons, their loved ones, their caregivers and the health care community in Putnam County.

For more information, contact Executive Director Elaine Peck at epeck@pchosp.org or visit www.pchpca.org.