New York state has the lowest utilization of hospice in the country, which can be attributed to several factors, including low health literacy rates. But the state’s recent progress in support of end-of-life care may be threatened by something even more insidious: corporate greed.

To investigate that issue nationally, a joint request for information was issued by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Trade Commission into private equity-backed health care and its impact on quality. 

Yet despite dire warnings, New York state is slowly opening the door to for-profit, private equity-backed hospice care. 

Kara Travis, president and CEO of Mountain Valley Hospice & Palliative Care, and a member of the board of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State, spoke about the issue with Capital Tonight host Susan Arbetter.