Palliative Care Could Be a Game Changer for Public Health: California and Hawaii Are Pioneering Ways to Expand Access

In a recent article in Harvard Public Health, C-TAC advisors Marian Grant and Torrie Fields, were featured for their state palliative care work. For the estimated 150 million Americans with a chronic health condition, and the two-thirds of those with two or more conditions, palliative care can provide critical support.

The article notes, “A growing body of research shows that this form of care reduces physical discomfort, improves quality of life for individuals and their families, and helps people stay at home rather than having to go to an emergency room.” According to Marian Grant, “It’s cheaper to send someone to your house than to send you to a hospital.”

California and Hawaii have been leaders in innovative palliative care payment models. In 2014, California began requiring eligible Medicaid beneficiaries receive access to palliative care through Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid agency. Before the law took effect, Blue Shield of California, a private insurer, developed a model to cover palliative care for the 1.5M members of the California Public Employee’s Retirement System receiving health coverage.

Hawaii is advancing palliative care as a preventative service and addressing hurdles to list palliative care services in state Medicaid benefits.

Torrie Fields, who has worked with Hawaii on its State Plan Amendment noted, “Palliative care is a preventative service. It doesn’t just save money; it actually prevents suffering.”

To learn more, read the full article on Harvard Public Health.