House Committee Approves Key Hospice Bill

Posted on Monday, July 16, 2018 12:20 PM

The Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives approved last week the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA).  This Act would increase the number of permanent faculty in palliative care at accredited medical, nursing, and social work schools, and other programs; promote education and research in palliative care and hospice and support the development of faculty careers in academic palliative medicine. 

PCHETA would increase training for new and existing physicians as well as other providers who are part of the palliative care team.  The Act would also create a national education campaign to inform medical professionals, patients, and families about the benefits of palliative care and hospice.

This additional training is important as studies have shown that patients that receive earlier access to palliative care have:

  • Lower rates of inpatient admissions in the last 30 days of life (33 percent vs. 66 percent)
  • Lower rates of ICU use in the last month of life (5 percent vs. 20 percent)
  • Fewer emergency department visits in the last month of life (34 percent vs. 39 percent)
  • Fewer deaths within three days of hospital discharge (16 percent vs. 39 percent)
  • Lower 30-day mortality rates post hospital admission (33 percent vs. 66 percent)

NAHC urges everyone to go to their Legislative Action Center and tell your representatives in Congress to support the Act. 

Click here to contact your Representatives.


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