The South Had the Lowest Rates of Hospice and Palliative Medicine-Certified Providers in the US, 2024
In an article published in Health Affairs, researchers evaluated the palliative care workforce and policy environments at the state level using data from CAPC's 2024 Serious Illness Scorecard linked with state mortality data. They found that seven Southern states had the lowest rates of hospice and palliative medicine–certified providers relative to serious illness deaths, and that CME requirements for serious illness care and Medicaid expansion were significantly associated with higher provider rates, while serious illness task forces, pediatric Medicaid waivers, and adult payment policies were not.