Palliative care: the legal & regulatory requirements.

While following the same approach to care as hospice, palliative care reaches patients who do not necessarily have a terminal diagnosis or a life-threatening illness, and/or are seeking curative treatment. Reimbursement methodologies and requirements for palliative care differ from hospice, and are not explicitly covered by federal and state regulations. In the first article of a two-part series, the author reviews licensing issues, reimbursement requirements, fraud and abuse pitfalls, and cost report requirements for home health agency palliative care programs.