Can non-profit hospice survive high cost of palliative care?

[Mazzi]

I am finding oncology departments offering chemo and radiation as a form of palliative care for pain, n/v, ect. This is very high cost. With what the govenment alots for Hospice Medicare Benefit to be paid to the hospice organiation, are you finding it is becoming impossible to keep your doors open?

A non-profit hospice used to be able to take any and all paitents that was less than 6 months live expectacny and give them the care they required. You gained income on some and lost on others, but in the end came out even. But what I'm beginning to see is new high tech treatments being offered and the cost sooo high that there is no monies left for the simple mouth swabs and depends. (example only). Are you other hospice nurses feeling frustrated over this palliative/comfort care only change being seen??

[webblarsk]

Non profit hospices have to hire all of their administrative staff, HR, payroll, supportive staff, Executive director, Financial officer, etc...to work in their local office. For profit hospices have most of thier corporate and supporitve staff located in their corporate office - this saves lots of $$$. The staff in the local offices basically are worker bees. It costs a great deal more money to run a non profit because of this. 'Executive directors" in a for profit office don't run the show...they have to speak to some big hoo haa in the corporate office before making any big decisions. There are always strings attached to the corporate office, who makes the policies. Non profit executive directors speak to a board of directors (who are not paid.) Changes in policies are easier with such a small chain of command. If non profit hospice's did not have donation money,they could not exist. Some non profits are able to provide just as much (supply wise) as the for profits. It depends on how well the board and the executive director, CFO, have managed their money.

How does that save lots of money if the positions are the same for both for profit and non-profit? Salaries still have to be paid regardless of if the positions are local or in a corporate office. If non profit didn't solicit donations they could still exsist! They recieve the same source of payments as they for profits. To me the non-profit hospices should be able to give excellent care with all the extra money they have coming in. But in my experience with the non-profit hospice in the are they are cutting corners left and right. And like said by another poster they are passing along high cost patients to us. Which we take and provide excellent care for! So like said in many posts. Its the quality of care the patient recieves. Not the label of For Profit vs Non-Profit.