HOSPICE CARE STUDY.

SEC. 341. HOSPICE CARE STUDY. (a) Study Required.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a research study to determine the desirability of the Secretary furnishing hospice care to terminally ill veterans and to evaluate the most cost-effective and efficient way to do so. The Secretary shall carry out the study using resources and personnel of the Department. (b) Conduct of Study.—In carrying out the study required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall— (1) evaluate the programs, and the program models, through which the Secretary furnishes hospice care services within or through facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the programs and program models through which non-Department facilities provide such services; (2) assess the satisfaction of patients, and family members of patients, in each of the program models covered by paragraph (1); 110 STAT. 3206 (3) compare the costs (or range of costs) of providing care through each of the program models covered by paragraph (1); and (4) identify any barriers to providing, procuring, or coordinating hospice services through any of the program models covered by paragraph (1). (c) Program Models.—For purposes of subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall evaluate a variety of types of models for delivery of hospice care, including the following: (1) Direct furnishing of full hospice care by the Secretary. (2) Direct furnishing of some hospice services by the Secretary. (3) Contracting by the Secretary for the furnishing of hospice care, with a commitment that the Secretary will provide any further required hospital care for the patient. (4) Contracting for all required care to be furnished outside the Department. (5) Referral of the patient for hospice care without a contract. (d) Report.—Not later than April 1, 1998, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report on the research study. The report shall set forth the Secretary’s findings and recommendations. The Secretary shall include in the report information on the extent to which the Secretary advises veterans concerning their eligibility for hospice care and information on the number of veterans (as of the time of the report) who are in each model of hospice care described in subsection (c) and the average cost per patient of hospice care for each such model.