Government Report: Report Examines High Cost of Medicare Hospice in Nursing Homes

A federal audit of Medicare hospice spending for nursing home residents has revealed that spending has jumped nearly 70 percent since 2005, as some for- profit hospices gained higher enrollment and reimbursement rates at long-term- care facilities. The Office of the Inspector General issued recommendations that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reduce Medicaid payments for hospice care provided in nursing facilities and closely monitor hospice agencies.