Literature Review

Racial and ethnic differences in hospice use among Medicaid-only and dual-eligible decedentsJAMA Health Forum, by Julie Robison, Noreen Shugrue, Ellis Dillon, Deborah Migneault, Doreek Charles, Dorothy Wakefield, Bradley Richards; 12/23Hospice care enhances quality of life for people with terminal illness and is most beneficial with longer length of stay (LOS). Most hospice research focuses on the Medicare-insured population. Little is known about hospice use for the racially and ethnically diverse, low-income Medicaid population.

Disparities in election, access, and outcomes in Medicare end-of-life care: A national studyInnovation in Aging, by Thomas Christian, Michael Plotzke, Mariana Sarango Cancel, Catherine Hersey, and Zinnia Harrison; 12/23We examined whether end-of-life care racial disparities persist even within groups with similar geographic access and health care options. We reviewed calendar year (CY)2021 fee-for-service Medicare claims to determine if a beneficiary ever: elected hospice, had an end-of-life care conversation with their physician, and/or received advanced care planning services. ... We found no substantial racial/ethnic disparities in recorded advance care plans or end-of-life conversations.

Quality of data on profit status reported Care CompareJournal of Pain & Symptom Management, by Joan M. Teno, Emmanuelle Belanger, Gulmeena Khan; 11/23.For-profit hospice providers differ in both key processes of care and bereaved family member perceptions of the quality of care. Recent rapid growth of hospices, formation of national for-profit hospice chains, and acquisition of hospice by private equity firms has raised concerns regarding the quality of hospice care. In response, starting in April 2023 the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services made hospice ownership data public on the Care Compare website to help consumers make informed choices in hospice programs. On the Care Compare website, hospice are listed as for-profit, nonprofit, and other category, based on hospices’ self-reported ownership status. In this study, we examined the accuracy of this information.

Hospices’ Unanswered Questions—Filling the Research GapsHospice NewsDecember 14, 2023Research around hospice care has come a long way. But data gaps exist when it comes to expanding understanding of some aspects of end-of-life care delivery. A range of researchers has amassed a growing base of data on hospice, with some common themes tied to quality outcomes, costs, length of stay and general inpatient care. ... Having more information around successful care delivery models and training processes could impact the ability for hospices to foster growth and improve sustainable clinical capacity.