Agencies whittle staff as reimbursement levels dwindle.
Sequestration cuts, on top of other financial and regulatory burdens, continue to take a toll on hospices.
For example: Delaware Hospice laid off 52 workers April 22, reports The (Wilmington) News Journal. That’s on top of 52 people already let go earlier this year.
“It’s part of a reorganization to deal with the challenges in our organization and that the industry in total is experiencing,” CEO Susan Lloyd told the newspaper. “This is not unique to Delaware.”
The cuts are “an opportunity to become more efficient,” Delaware Hospice public relations specialist Beverly Crowl told the paper. “We are streamlining the care model,” she said.
Another example: Hospice of the Bluegrass in Lexington, Ky., is laying off 16 workers due in part to the sequestration reductions, reports the Lexington Herald-Leader. Eighty-five percent of the hospice’s funding comes from Medicare, it told the newspaper.
Shortening length of stay also contributed to the move, the hospice says. The agency has 374 full time employees and 100 in private duty.