The Moran Data Project: Is your hospice participating?

The participation of all hospice providers across the country is needed for a very important project that has the potential to impact every provider in the U.S. I'm writing about the Moran Data Project.

For those not familiar with the project, last July, NHPCO retained The Moran Company (a healthcare research and consulting firm specializing in payment reform) to conduct our own data collection and assessment project on behalf of the hospice and palliative care field. This is in response to impending work on hospice reimbursement reform that is now required as a part of the new health care reform law and requires CMS to initiate hospice payment reform no earlier than 2014.

I would like to share the video message linked below:




For those unable to access the video, here is some additional information about the Moran Project.

The Moran Data Project

Through data collected and analyzed in the Moran Data Project, NHPCO will develop and present to CMS and MedPAC alternative Medicare hospice payment reform models that fairly reimburse us for the care we provide. This proactive approach allows us to exert some influence on the process rather than relying solely on government regulators and the data they can access. However, in order for our models to be sound, we must have comprehensive, patient-level data—and for that, we need the assistance of all hospice providers.

The data collection phase of this project began in February and there are now about 200 providers which are submitting data—but we need 800 more providers of all sizes, type and from all areas of the country to step up and contribute data.

By coming together to present to MedPAC and Congress comprehensive data from a unified hospice industry, we can help preserve our core values and our revenue streams. NHPCO will fight for this—but we can't do it alone. Working together to collect data, we can make our voices heard. Members can learn more online at nhpco.org/moran or contact Amanda Forys at The Moran Company at aaforys@themorancompany.com.

Thank you for your participation!

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NHPCO would like to thank the software vendors who are participating in this important data collection project:

• Allscripts
• Cerner BeyondNow
• Consolo Services Group
• Delta Health Technologies
• Homecare Homebase
• McKesson Corporation
• HPMS - Mills & Murphy Software Systems, Inc.
• mumms® Software
• Suncoast Solutions