Despite Significant Progress, Need For Palliative Care In California Still Outpaces The Supply
The improvement in access to palliative care may in part be attributed to a new law, which took effect in January, making California the first state in the nation to make palliative care part of the services provided under a Medicaid managed care plan.
The California Health Report:
New Report On Palliative Care Finds Big Increase In Services Throughout California
More Californians are participating in palliative care programs, but the need still outpaces the supply, according to a new report. A mapping project just released by the California Healthcare Foundation found significant progress in the number of programs and participants participating in palliative care services compared to four years ago. Palliative care is aimed at relieving suffering and providing the best possible quality of life for people facing the pain, symptoms, and stresses of serious illness. ... The foundation’s report in 2014 found “uneven distribution” of palliative care services in the state, and only about 25 to 50 percent of needs met. But the 2018 report found that inpatient palliative care capacity for the entire state ranges from 43 percent to 66 percent of need and community-based capacity ranges from 33 percent to 51 percent of need. (Kritz, 6/18)