Palliative Care Federal Policy

Highlights key federal policy audiences, and legislative and regulatory opportunities for action.

2019 report on growth of hospital palliative care across the fifty states, gaps in access, and federal and state policy recommendations.

View your state’s report to find information about palliative care access in your state, along with recommendations to improve it.

Consolidation of selected areas of focus and defined strategies to enhance accountability for access to palliative care and enhance the quality of those services. Center to Advance Palliative Care and National Quality Forum, 2020.

NASEM has convened experts from across the country to explore the gaps and opportunities for improving the care of people with serious illness.

An analysis and commentary on the future size of the US palliative care workforce and recommended policy changes to spur growth (Kamal et al.).

Report from ATI Advisory and CAPC describing the barriers confronting dual eligible individuals living with serious illness, and opportunities for CMS, state Medicaid agencies, and D-SNP plans to promote access to palliative care.

At-a-glance information across nine models of simultaneous disease-directed and palliative services.

Compilation of policy recommendations to improve the care of Black patients living with serious illness and their families.

With federal and state guidelines increasingly restricting access to opioids, these recommendations from the Patient Quality of Life Coalition provides recommendations for how to exempt people living with serious illness

Legislation supported by the Coalition, aligned with the goals of quality, workforce, payment, and research

Federal bill addressing the workforce deficiency, public awareness and research funding by expanding physician and nurse training, and supporting research and public awareness initiatives.

Blog post on promising palliative care education legislation.

Health care policy initiatives and opportunities that impact care for people living with serious illness and their families.

Advancing palliative care payment from both public and private payers.

Proceedings from the 2019 NASEM Workshop that explored challenges and opportunities related to educating, training, and retaining the full spectrum of the workforce for serious illness care.

Proceedings from the 2018 NASEM workshop on new payment and delivery models people living with serious illness, particularly in community settings.

A proposal to create a Medicare Incentive Program for comprehensive palliative care services in eligible hospitals.

The National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care describes why investment in palliative care research is needed and priorities for moving forward.

Home to the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care, the Coalition was founded by the leading hospice and palliative care organizations to coordinate and collaborate on issues and activities of importance to the interdisciplinary hospice and palliative care field.

40+ organizations working to ensure access to high quality palliative care for all people living with serious illness.

The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) tracks critical health policy developments and works to ensure that the interests of the field are advanced in the legislative and regulatory arenas. This site is a resource to help understand key issues; stay informed; and take action on the key issues related to the field of hospice and palliative medicine.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. They engage volunteers across the country to ensure their voices are heard by policymakers at every level of government.

The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) asserts that clinicians have a responsibility and obligation to address hospice and palliative care public policy and regulatory issues that impact the health-related quality of life of patients and caregivers living with serious illness across the lifespan. HPNA acts independently and with collaborating organizations to address hospice and palliative care issues at the national, state, local, and regional levels. HPNA advocates for legislative and regulatory initiatives that align with its Four Pillars of Excellence: Leadership, Advocacy, Research and Education.

C-TAC works to ensure that all individuals living with serious illness receive comprehensive, high-quality, person- and family-centered care that is consistent with their goals and values.