Offering Overview-MTH 082315

Future Generations Supporting the Elderly Declining in Numbers: As a result of the relatively slower growth of the under-65 population, the percentage of Americans 65 and older will increase from 13 percent in 2010 to 21 percent by 2040! The projected 2040 share of the older group is up one percentage point from what the Census projected four years ago. According to the new Census Bureau projections, the U.S. population will grow from 309 million in 2010 to 400 million by 2050, 39 million fewer than the level projected four years ago. The declining proportion of working-age citizens raises questions about how economic growth and well-being can be sustained with slower growth in the U.S. labor supply. Currently there are about five “working-age” Americans (age 18 to 64) for every person 65 or older. According to the new projections, this 5-to-1 support ratio will slip to less than 3-to-1 by 2030. www.census.org

Fewer Not-for Profit Hospices: Not-for-Profit owned programs comprise the smallest percentage of hospice providers (about 5% in 2013). The number of for-profit Medicare-certified hospice providers has been steadily increasing over the past several years. In contrast, the number of Medicare-certified not- for-profit or government providers has declined over the same period. Resource: healthaffairs.com

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Bold New Law Welcomed by Industry leaders: President Obama signed into law the “Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014” (IMPACT Act) that includes provisions creating greater oversight and increased transparency within the hospice community. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) heralds the passage of this legislation and the additional oversight it will bring to end-of-life care providers. “This new law strengthens oversight and transparency throughout the entire hospice community,” said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO. “NHPCO applauds President Obama for signing the IMPACT Act into law.” Resource: nhpco.org