From WMOT News
(2009-01-19)
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ANN ARBOR, MI
(Michigan Radio) -
Hospice providers in Michigan are trying to get by with less money, even as demand for their services is on the rise.
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Hospice providers treat about 40,000 people a year in Michigan.
And on average, they get 87% of their funding from the federal government.
But as of October last year, the government changed how it accounts for certain reimbursements under Medicare.
Jeff Towns is president of the Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. He says despite the funding cut, more people have been turning to hospice care.
"Unlike the automotive industry, there is still demand for our services," Towns says. "It's just that those margins keep getting slimmer and slimmer."
Towns says hospice providers are turning to their communities to raise more money, so they can stay afloat. © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio
