The bi-monthly policy meet-up, held on June 7th, brought together members and prospects of the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) to discuss the coalition’s current policy updates and key goals. The meet-up served as a collaborative platform to emphasize C-TAC’s commitment to patient-centered care that respects the patient’s goals and preserves their dignity. Leading the policy meet-up were Marisette Hasan, Vice President of Community Action and Policy, Marian Grant, Senior Regulatory Advisor, and Brian Lindberg , Senior Public Policy Advisor. They provided updates on C-TAC’s policy initiatives.
Brian Lindberg initiated the policy meet-up by presenting important congressional updates relevant to C-TAC. Notably, President Biden and Speaker McCarthy reached a debt limit deal, which is seen as a positive outcome since it does not appear to have significant healthcare implications. Other legislative updates included ongoing efforts to redraft the Advanced Care Planning Bill and address hospice issues related to consumer protection and quality concerns. C-TAC plans to participate in a roundtable discussion on these hospice issues and will provide further updates in the next policy meet-up. Additionally, new bills on palliative care and advanced care planning by Sen. Rosen and Sen. Blumenthal, respectively, are expected to be introduced soon.
Marian Grant then provided a regulatory update, highlighting that C-TAC collaborated with partners at the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) and the National Coalition of Hospice and Palliative Care (NCHPC) to draft an issue brief. This brief draws attention to the proposed rules and communications from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) that incorrectly associate palliative care exclusively with end-of-life care. The CMMI Deputy Director has formally acknowledged these comments. C-TAC also submitted comments on the proposed 2024 Medicare Hospice Rule, which will be detailed in an upcoming member newsletter. Furthermore, an article was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine outlining recommendations for serious illness care in the Medicare Advantage program.
Following this regulatory update, Marisette Hasan provided a general update on state policy. Recently, C-TAC engaged in discussions with the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) and the Minnesota Department of Long-Term Care at the Grantmakers in Health (GIH) event in Minneapolis. The focus was on expanding access to palliative care services through state policy initiatives. C-TAC’s members from various states have also reported potential opportunities to establish palliative care benefits through avenues beyond Medicaid, such as state value-based purchasing, home health, and dual eligible alignment initiatives.
After the state policy update, Lori Feldstein, the Director of Goals of Care Coalition of New Jersey (GOCCNJ) , provided an overview of New Jersey’s policy landscape. GOCCNJ is an active C-TAC member and aligns with C-TAC’s mission and advocates for policy changes in three crucial areas: enhancing access to palliative care, addressing disparities, and promoting equity. Their recent policy endeavors have been focused on securing a Medicaid benefit in New Jersey for community-based palliative care. Although the legislature in New Jersey has shown ongoing support following the primary elections, there is still work to be done. Consequently, GOCCNJ’s next steps will involve showcasing patient stories, offering testimony at the state assembly and senate, and garnering support for this bill among legislators and the governor of New Jersey. The C-TAC State Coalition Workgroup offers an invaluable opportunity for GOCCNJ to learn from other states’ successes and implement this Medicaid Benefit in New Jersey.
The meeting concluded with a promotion of this year’s C-TAC | CAPC Leadership Summit, which promises to be an unparalleled opportunity to actively engage in discussions around these important policy matters. This year’s summit will take place at the Hamilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. on October 23-24. Registration will be open later this month.
C-TAC will also be hosting a Member Meet-Up on June 29th where we will discuss pivoting from Fee-for-Service to Value-Based Care models. This Member Meet-Up is a member-only event.
For more information about membership and attending C-TAC events, please contact Partnership Director, Luke Scuitto.
Written by C-TAC Intern, Pierre Jolin
