OAHC Opposes the Hospice CARE Act

Protecting the Integrity of Hospice & In-Home Care

The Oregon Association for Home Care (OAHC) strongly opposes the Hospice CARE Act (H.R. 3127/S. 1333), legislation that would mandate the carve-in of hospice care into Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. While the bill claims to improve care coordination, its real-world impact would compromise the quality, accessibility, and patient-centered nature of hospice services across Oregon and the nation.

What’s at Stake?
Hospice care is one of the few Medicare benefits designed with dignity, comfort, and compassion at its core. Under the traditional Medicare model, hospice patients receive holistic support from interdisciplinary teams that prioritize quality of life—not profits.

The Hospice CARE Act threatens to disrupt this model by placing hospice services under the control of private insurance companies through Medicare Advantage. These plans are already known for restrictive networks, prior authorization barriers, and administrative burdens that can delay or deny access to essential care.

Why OAHC Opposes the Carve-In:
  • Reduced Access: MA plans may limit provider networks, excluding trusted local hospice and home care agencies.
  • Lower Quality: Managed care often prioritizes cost containment over the personalized, high-touch support hospice patients need.
  • Increased Red Tape: Prior authorizations and payment denials will create new obstacles for providers and families at a vulnerable time.
  • Loss of Autonomy: Local, nonprofit, and community-based hospice programs may struggle to survive in a managed care-dominated environment.
Our Position:
OAHC believes hospice care should remain under traditional Medicare, where patients and families can receive the full scope of interdisciplinary, compassionate, and timely care without interference from for-profit insurers.

We urge lawmakers to reject the Hospice CARE Act’s Medicare Advantage carve-in provision and instead invest in strengthening hospice access, quality oversight, and workforce support.

Take Action

Contact your elected officials and let them know that Oregon values true hospice care—not managed care interference.

Learn more and join our advocacy efforts: Contact Us