Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 647, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act. I am proud to be a co-lead on this much-needed piece of legislation.

In my years as a pharmacist working in long-term care, I saw how patients with all types of illnesses face the challenges of end-of-life care. Whether you are talking about patients with cancer, Alzheimer's, or some other ailment, critical to our healthcare system is valuing a patient's quality of life. That is why palliative and hospice care are an important piece of our healthcare system.

As our population ages, the need for quality, well-trained hospice and palliative providers is only growing. The George Washington University Health Workforce Institute projects the number of patients who could benefit from palliative care could increase by 20 percent over the next 20 years. By establishing palliative care and hospice education centers to train and educate new providers, this bill is a critical step in meeting the needs of future patients.

Additionally, this bill enhances the NIH's research into palliative care, improving our capability to care for patients in even more effective ways.

Finally, PCHETA also establishes a nationwide campaign to better inform patients, their families, and their healthcare providers about palliative care services. This is critical to ensuring patients have a clear picture of all of their options so they and their families can make informed decisions of the care that they want.

This bill is an important investment towards a patient-centered healthcare system that values and improves a patient's quality of life.

I applaud Representatives Engel, Reed, Clarke, Pallone, and Walden for their leadership on this bill, and I urge my fellow Members to support H.R. 647.

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