House Passes Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act

Last week the House of Representatives passed H.R. 647, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA). The bipartisan bill, authored by Reps. Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Tom Reed (R-NY), and Buddy Carter (R-GA), supports palliative care education for physicians, nurses, clinical social workers, and others who make up the interdisciplinary teams integral to the delivery of palliative care. PCHETA focuses on three key areas:

1. Workforce Training: Ensure we have education centers, curricula, and teachers to expand interdisciplinary training in palliative and hospice care and establish programs to attract and retain providers
2. Education and Awareness: Provide for a national campaign to inform patients, families and health professionals about the benefits of palliative care and the services that are available to support patients with serious or life-threatening illness
3. Enhanced Research: Direct NIH to use existing authorities and funds to expand palliative care research to advance clinical practice and improve care delivery for patients with serious or life-threatening illness

PCHETA now heads to the Senate, where a similar bill (S.2080) is co-sponsored by a large bi-partisan group of Senators.