Health Affairs: Longer Periods Of Hospice Care Found to Reduce Spending
A study posted in Health Affairs found longer periods of hospice service were associated with decreased end-of-life expenditures for patients residing in regions with high average expenditures. Hospice use is expected to decrease end-of-life expenditures, yet evidence for its financial impact remains inconclusive.
One potential explanation is that the use of hospice may produce differential cost-savings effects by region because of geographic variation in end-of-life spending patterns. Longer periods of hospice service were associated with decreased end-of-life expenditures for patients residing in regions with high average expenditures but not for those in regions with low average expenditures.
Our grantee, Health Affairs, has included this study in their February journal issue.
To read the article, click here.
