NBC News recently broke shocking new allegations of questionable hospice transfer practices at HCA hospitals across the country
The exposé cites findings from SEIU’s new stunning report which raises serious concerns that doctors could be facing pressure to move patients to hospice
The report reveals troubling evidence that HCA’s executive compensation is closely tied to the company’s reported in-hospital mortality rate, which transferring patients to hospice can reduce
Based on an in-depth analysis of Medicare data, the report found that transfers to hospice care from HCA’s facilities jumped more than 50% between 2017 and 2021 compared to the national average, while HCA’s “in hospital” deaths were lower than average
“We’re not dollar signs. We’re human beings,” Marisol Perez told NBC News. Marisol is a former patient at HCA’s St. David’s Medical Center who battled COVID-19 and pneumonia and went on to make a full recovery, despite the hospital pressuring her mother, Alma Salas, to move her to hospice.