<p>There is an immediate need to expand the availability of blood transfusions within the Medicare hospice program to ensure all patients can benefit from the end-of-life care provided through the Medicare hospice benefit. </p>

Ask Congress to Help Expand the Availability of Blood Transfusions within the Medicare Hospice Program 

There is an immediate need to expand the availability of blood transfusions within the Medicare hospice program to ensure all patients can benefit from the end-of-life care provided through the Medicare hospice benefit. 

This week is Blood Advocacy Week, a collaborative initiative of America’s Blood Centers that is bringing together members of the blood community, advocates, providers, patients, and more to advance policies that promote the value of blood to patients, communities, and our healthcare system. One of the most pressing issues facing the blood supply is the urgent need to reform the Medicare program to ensure patient access to palliative blood transfusions.

Blood transfusions can often be a critical therapy as part of quality end-of-life care. Unfortunately, to receive a blood transfusion, patients often delay enrolling in the Medicare hospice program or forgo utilizing it altogether. This prevents patients, their families, and caregivers from receiving holistic care, including pain management, education, and emotional and spiritual support.

This reality is primarily a result of few hospice providers providing blood transfusions due to the cost and lack of associated reimbursement. The 2022 Medicare hospice patient rate for all services provided as part of routine home care (day 1-60) is $203.40. That’s less than the cost of a single blood transfusion.

Expanding the availability of blood transfusions within the Medicare hospice program would ensure that all patients can benefit from the program while maintaining the quality of life provided by blood transfusions. To achieve this, I am asking you to introduce legislation to establish a demonstration program through the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to allow reimbursement for palliative blood transfusions outside of the hospice benefit.

Thank you for your focus on this matter and for making strengthening America’s blood supply a national priority. I look forward to your prompt reply.

Ask Congress to Help Expand the Availability of Blood Transfusions within the Medicare Hospice Program

Message

Dear Office Holder (names will be automatically added on each email),