Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) has introduced legislation supporting palliative blood transfusions in H.R. 9803, the Hospice CARE Act of 2024. The legislation includes support for palliative blood transfusions for patients enrolled in the Medicare hospice program. The bill makes several major changes to the Medicare Hospice program. Of interest to the blood community, this bill would provide reimbursement outside of the bundled rate to better reflect the cost of blood transfusions in a hospice setting with the goal of expanding access to this important care needed by some patients. Data demonstrates that patients needing palliative transfusions are forgoing or delaying enrollment in hospice, resulting in lower quality of life at a higher cost to the Medicare program. By expanding access to palliative transfusions, it allows patients who rely on blood transfusions and their families to receive the benefits of end-of-life care provided through the Medicare hospice benefit, while maintaining the quality of life provided by blood transfusions.
America’s Blood Centers sent a letter to Rep. Blumenauer thanking him for his work and for the inclusion of this language in the legislation supporting palliative blood transfusions. We encourage members to also send a letter to your Representative asking them to support the bill. Sen. Rosen (D-Nev.) previously introduced a bill supporting blood transfusions in hospice by creating a demonstration program allowing reimbursement outside of the hospice bundle. Individuals can support that bill here.