Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 27, 1991 TAG: 9103270142
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The hospice received its state license as a full-service hospice and also was certified for Medicare reimbursement.
"This is a remarkable accomplishment," said Executive Director Cynthia Jennison. "We've been working for a long time for this."
The hospice, started 11 years ago, now meets new state laws that require all hospices to be licensed by the Virginia State Board of Health.
The hospice hasn't changed its practices, Jennison said, it's just been told that the operation meets state requirements.
"And we passed with no deficiencies on the first try," Jennison said. "This is unheard of, especially for a volunteer organization."
Hospice care includes a terminally ill patient's physical, emotional, spiritual and social life. Services are handled by a team that includes the patient's physician, a nurse, a social worker, specially trained volunteers and others, such as clergy, therapists and home-health aides.
To meet state licensing requirements, a nurse was hired last year, and new policies and procedures were developed in preparation for Medicare certification.
Once a Medicare patient is certified by a physician, all services are included under one daily rate, including hospitalizations, medications and rented durable medical equipment.
In addition, the hospice is now able to provide home nursing care to patients who often don't qualify for such care under the regular Medicare benefits.
For all of these services, however, Medicare's daily reimbursement rate is $68 per day regardless of the need. Jennison said that's adequate for the average situation, but not for patients with complications.
"So there are good things and tricky things to this status," she said, adding that the hospice now faces several challenges as it begins a new way of operation.
First, the hospice is limited in the number of patients it can serve under Medicare because reimbursements take about three months, and this is only part of the total cost.
This means the hospice must have enough funds at the start to pay for these items, Jennison said. And the more patients served means more money is needed up front.
"It must be made clear that we are only reimbursed for certain expenses," Jennison said. "If this isn't clear, it could hurt us [financially]. This can in no way be interpreted as income for the hospice."
Secondly, all of the hospice's United Way allocations were reduced this year because of a decrease in pledges. Last year, the hospice spent almost $63,000. This year, its United Way shares are $25,400 from Montgomery County and Radford, $2,000 from Giles County and $6,800 from Pulaski County. Miscellaneous contributions and memorials total about $20,000.
Finally, patients electing the Hospice Medicare Benefit can only use hospitals that the New River Vally Hospice contracts with for inpatient care. Currently, the only hospital that is participating is Montgomery Regional Hospital. Jennison said she is trying to obtain additional contracts with other area hospitals so patients won't have to travel far from home.
by CNB