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Hospice Care Done Right
Protecting Rural Communities and Quality Care
JESSICA HALL
West Virginians excel in many things : making the best pepperoni rolls , showing hospitality to neighbors and strangers alike and , according to a recent study , driving . You may not know West Virginia is also among the very best when it comes to hospice services . West Virginia ’ s hospice providers have set a high bar for the nation , with 80 % earning top-tier ratings .
This achievement is no accident ; it is the result of a system designed to prioritize patient needs and uphold the highest standards of care . As the debate over the Certificate of Need ( CON ) continues , it ’ s important to remember what is at stake : the health and dignity of West Virginians in their most vulnerable moments .
West Virginia stands out as a beacon of excellence in hospice care , ranking among the top five states nationally for quality . The numbers speak volumes : during the reporting period from April 1 , 2022 , through March 31 , 2024 , 80 % of West Virginia hospices earned four- and five-star ratings for quality of care . By contrast , only 55 % of hospices nationwide achieved similar ratings . As a health care service reviewed by the CON process , hospices in the Mountain State can prioritize quality care for all West Virginians with unique services like in-patient units for 24-hour care and home programs that serve rural families . The success of this system underscores the importance of maintaining the CON in West Virginia , a state with unique geographic and demographic challenges .
The CON system requires providers to demonstrate a clear need for additional hospice services in a given area before entering the market . This ensures resources are not unnecessarily diluted and rural areas are not left behind . By maintaining a balanced distribution of providers , the CON safeguards against market oversaturation and ensures hospice providers have the financial and operational stability to deliver consistent , high-quality care across both urban and rural communities . As the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission ( MedPAC ) highlighted in its March 2024 Report to Congress : Medicare Payment Policy , “ The number of hospice providers is not necessarily an indicator of beneficiary access to hospice care because the number does not capture the size of providers , their capacity to serve patients or the size of their service areas .”
This analysis debunks the argument that more providers automatically result in better access or quality . In fact , states with a higher proliferation of hospice providers , such as California and Texas , have faced significant challenges in maintaining program integrity . Between 2021 and 2022 , California saw an influx of 342 new hospice providers , while Texas gained 75 . Many of these new entrants were
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