Rise in Hospice Care Lowers Costs

Another study has been released exploring the connections between the increased use of hospice care and lowered health care expenses. This one was focused on heart failure patients, who traditionally encounter major expenses in their later months. A couple of quotes, from MedPage Today:

The retrospective U.S. study, encompassing almost 230,000 Medicare heart failure patients, found the use of hospice during the last six months of life jumped from 19% in 2000 to 38% in 2007, reported Lesley H. Curtis, PhD, of Duke University, and colleagues.

and...

The shift toward hospice and palliative care may actually be saving money, they speculated.

"Increasing the availability of alternative venues of care, such as long-term care and home care, may be effective in further reducing hospitalizations and containing costs," Kaul and colleagues wrote.

Financially, emotionally, and physically beneficial, hospice care helps patients to understand their choices and make informed decisions about what is right for them and their loved ones when their time is precious.