Key strategies to help implement and sustain rural palliative care programs include blended funding and value-based reimbursement models.

Background

Palliative care can improve quality of life, reduce avoidable utilization, and increase treatment satisfaction for people with chronic and advanced illnesses. Yet, rural community-based palliative care programs often struggle with financial sustainability. To address this, Statis Health convened nine rural palliative care programs across several states to share strategies and explore financing mechanisms. This resource highlights their insights and offers practical approaches to sustain palliative care in rural communities.

About this Resource

This tool highlights the value of palliative care and outlines several financing strategies to support program sustainability, including direct billing through Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurers, as well as grants, philanthropy and value-based contracting. It also includes links to resources and state examples to help readers understand and implement these approaches effectively.

Program/Policy Takeaways

To maintain high-quality community-based palliative care, rural health care organizations must blend multiple funding sources. This resource supports rural palliative care program leaders and administrators in navigating different funding models. Policymakers may also find it valuable as they explore scalable, value-based payment models to strengthen and sustain rural palliative care services.