title: Trends in hospice utilization across age among the veteran population.
abstract: Hospice is a major expansion area within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The objective of this retrospective study was to explore trends in hospice utilization among older veterans receiving services at the end of life over a 4-year (2006-2009) time period. Reviewing trends, the number of veterans receiving hospice services increased annually, with 5779 veterans receiving services during 2009, up from 1742 veterans in 2006. The total cost of providing hospice rose dramatically, increasing from $1.98 million in 2006 to $5.91 million in 2009. More funds were spent on younger veterans, with an average of $1.5 million spent on veterans aged 55 to 64 and less than $400,000 spent on veterans aged 85 and older. Findings highlight the growing need and demand for hospice within the VHA to provide end-of-life services.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Mental Health Disparities, University of South Florida, Tampa, 33612, USA. kfrahm@usf.edu
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Frahm
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000639:trends*; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000639:trends*; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*