National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Attends White House Briefing

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Sept. 29 -- The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization issued the following news release:

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's Chief Advocacy Officer, Hannah Yang Moore, was honored to attend a briefing at the White House hosted by President Donald Trump this afternoon. The President and members of his Administration marked this event by highlighting steps taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide testing needs, including the forthcoming distribution by the Department of Health and Human Services of 10 million COVID-19 rapid point of care test kits for hospice and home care providers.

NHPCO thanks the Administration for responding to NHPCO's letters to HHS on July 27 and September 14 requesting dedicated provider relief funding for COVID-19 testing in hospice. NHPCO is pleased to have coordinated with HHS to ensure hospice providers are receiving testing supplies to efficiently test hospice staff who care for patients in nursing homes.

NHPCO also requests continued consideration for additional funding for test kits. This funding is critical to properly test hospice staff working in patients' homes, facilities, and assisted living facilities. Testing of all hospice staff is critical to ensuring the safety of staff, patients, and families.

NHPCO looks forward to continued collaboration with the Administration and Congress on finding ways to protect those with a serious or life limiting illness during the pandemic.

"We thank the Administration for their efforts to provide testing resources to hospice providers, and we look forward to the continued collaboration of the shared goal of keeping the most vulnerable population safe during this challenging time," said NHPCO President & CEO Edo Banach.