The Missouri Hospice Medicaid Project Trending Study

MO Hospice Association Completes Second Year Trending Study

Affirms the Important Need for Hospice in State Medicaid Programs

Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri Hospice & Palliative Care Association (MHPCA) recently released a trending Hospice Medicaid study that affirms the cost benefits of maintaining hospice care in Medicaid programs across the nation.

The Missouri Hospice Medicaid Study clearly indicates that hospice actually reduces spending for Medicaid beneficiaries as well as reduces total costs to Medicaid. Those dying while under the care of hospice over the two year study had total Medicaid mean costs that were 42% (2011) and 41% (2012) lower than that of patients who died in the hospital. The trending study
replicated in 2012, where the mean Missouri Medicaid payments across all these provider groups for Missouri Medicaid Recipients averaged $4,882 in hospice compared to $8,249 for recipients dying the hospital.

“This trending study sheds light on the importance of maintaining hospice as part of every state’s Medicaid benefit package, said Jane Moore, CEO of the Missouri Hospice & Palliative Care Association.

The analysis, completed over the last two years, was overseen by Dr. Donald H. Taylor, Jr., Associate Professor of Public Policy, Duke University and Dr. Cordt T. Kassner, Principal, Hospice Analytics, and included Medicaid recipients in Missouri who died under the care of a single Medicaid provider in 2011 and 2012.

The Missouri Hospice Medicaid Study was completed, in part, by funding from The Missouri Foundation for Health and was initiated to explore the potential cost savings of hospice services associated with end-of-life services within the Missouri Medicaid program. A full copy of the report can be found by visiting www.missourihospice.org.

MHPCA is a state-wide non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening coordinated care for terminally ill Missourians and their families through the advancement of hospice and palliative care. For more information visit them online at www.missourihospice.org.