Enhancing Access to Palliative Care Through Community-Based Models

On May 10, 2026, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) and the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) announced a collaborative initiative to develop a community-based palliative care model within the federal fee-for-service system. This strategic effort aims to enhance palliative care access in the United States by promoting earlier, community-centric interventions for serious illnesses.

Historically, inadequate reimbursement frameworks have limited palliative care access, often delaying care until patients transition into hospice. The proposed model seeks to address this by ensuring patients receive timely palliative support, potentially enhancing their quality of life and reducing unnecessary hospitalizations. Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO of NPHI and Co-Founder of C-TAC, underscored the importance of early, high-quality palliative care access in improving patient outcomes.

NPHI and C-TAC plan to engage with federal agencies and private stakeholders to establish a sustainable reimbursement framework, boosting community-based palliative care delivery. Cameron Muir, Chief Medical & Innovation Officer at NPHI, highlighted the significance of tailoring provisions for the nearly half of Medicare beneficiaries under the fee-for-service model. Both organizations are poised to collaborate with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to further this endeavor, aiming to provide more equitable and comprehensive care solutions for underserved populations.