COVID-19: A Call to Action

by Edo Banach
President and CEO
NHPCO

We are amid a global pandemic that challenges and strains all of us, our institutions, and the entire fabric of our economy and democracy.  It is disorienting for all and paralyzing for many, but those in our community must engage and respond. There has never been a more important time to be ambassadors of the kind of person-centered serious illness care that our country is going to need.  Indeed, hospice and palliative care are going to be crucial resources to help treat and care for the hundreds of thousands or millions of Americans who are going to be impacted by COVID-19. 

It is important to remember that we have been here before. HIV and COVID-19 are very different viruses, but both are contagious diseases that were not fully understood at the time. Fear ruled, and the government and traditional health care system at first shied away. Hospice was then in its infancy in the United States, and yet we—you—leaned in to help. I have heard some disturbing feedback from the field that COVID-19 is not “our” problem. I hope that we can squash that sentiment right now. 

This is very much our problem, and we are in just about the best position to help people deal with the serious illness care and, unfortunately, end-of-life care that they will require. 

Here’s some sobering news: if projections are accurate, COVID-19 will be the third leading cause of death in the United States over the next year.1 Unless we are comfortable with some other entity or sector stepping up, we must do so ourselves or face irrelevance. 

So, here’s my ask during these uncertain times:

• Lean in. Ask what you can do to help, and help. Focus on care and compassion. 
• Communicate your needs to us. Let us worry about reimbursement, waivers, demos, and all of the other legal, regulatory and legislative changes we are going to need. Now is the time to focus on providing care. However, when we need you to reach out to officials, we hope you’ll assist to ensure your voice is heard. 
• By all means, do not waste any energy on turf. Non-profit vs. for-profit, hospice vs. palliative care, us vs. them, etc. This is an all hands on-deck moment, and we need to rise to the challenge. Go big, get magnanimous, and there’s no room for any of us to be are small and petty. 
• Practice self-care. You cannot care for others unless you are well yourself. Eat right, exercise, do yoga, dance, or do anything else that helps you recharge. 

This moment, this crisis, is horrible. And yet, it is also our time to show our mettle. We as a field have been arguing that we need flexibilities in hospice to achieve our fullest potential. We are about to get flexibilities new to us. We have been arguing that we need a serious illness benefit—palliative care—that is paid for by Medicare FFS. We are pushing hard for that right now. We have been arguing for relief from audits and red tape. That is happening. And we are continuing to push where further guidance and considerations are needed.

So, now’s our time to step up, to lean in, and to be as large as this moment. Please join me and NHPCO in stepping up now. Thanks for your work and commitment. We are proud to be your association, and we promise to be right there alongside you as we lead person-centered care!

Find the latest news on COVID-19 at nhpco.org/coronavirus.