Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Break Down Advance Care Planning Barriers

(Via Hospice News) U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) recently introduced legislation aimed at improving access to advance care planning services among patients with serious illness.

The Improving Access to Advance Care Planning Act would expand utilization of these services by removing Medicare payment barriers faced by both providers and patients.

The bill proposes to “wave,” or remove, Medicare beneficiary cost-sharing for advance care planning services. In backing it, Collins and Warner also pressed payers to widen the scope of staff who can bill for these services, citing limited billing parameters that hinder patient access. Read on…