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Oregon hearing examines hospice licensing, new research on private‑equity ownership
Summary
Oregon officials, researchers and hospice providers told a Senate committee that existing licensing covers most care but that private‑equity and publicly traded ownership may change patient mix and staffing; witnesses urged better state oversight, certificate‑of‑need rules and mandatory quality reporting to guard access and quality, especially in rural areas.
State health regulators, industry representatives and independent researchers told the Interim Senate Committee on Health Care that Oregon’s hospice licensing system relies heavily on federal Medicare rules but leaves room for state policy to shape who can open a hospice and how quality is monitored.
“Hospice regulations in Oregon mostly align with the CMS conditions of participation,” Dana Selover of the Oregon Health Authority said, summarizing the agency’s role as the delegated state survey agency and listing state‑only requirements such as geographic service areas, interpreter services and clinical records retention. Selover reported that Oregon has 75 licensed hospice agencies and that 34 are deemed through accrediting organizations approved by CMS.
The hearing then turned to independent research on corporate ownership. Dr. Robert Tyler Braun of Cornell University said institutional investors and private equity find hospice attractive because “their stable Medicare payments, relatively easy…
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