Last month CMS announced the list of hospices selected to participate in the Medicare Care Choices Model. More than 140 hospices will be participating in the model for a timeframe of five years. CMS expects that up to 150,000 eligible Medicare and dually eligible beneficiaries will be chosen to participate.

The Medicare Care Choice Model allows patients to revieve palliative care treatment from certin hospice facilities. From CMS: 

Through the Medicare Care Choices Model, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will provide a new option for Medicare beneficiaries to receive palliative care services from certain hospice providers while concurrently receiving services provided by their curative care providers. CMS will evaluate whether providing hospice services can improve the quality of life and care received by Medicare beneficiaries, increase patient satisfaction, and reduce Medicare expenditures.

Under current payment rules, Medicare and dually eligible beneficiaries are required to forgo curative care in order to receive services under the Medicare or Medicaid Hospice Benefit.