[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 118, 108th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

Proclamation 7843 of November 4, 2004


 
National Hospice Month, 2004

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Hospice programs are a vital part of our Nation's health care system.
They provide comfort, peace, and dignity for individuals in the final
stage of life and their families. During National Hospice Month, we
recognize the dedicated professionals and volunteers who provide hospice
care, and we emphasize the importance of respecting and honoring life in
all of its seasons.
For many terminally ill patients, hospice care is a compassionate
alternative to traditional care at a hospital or nursing home. Hospice
physicians, nurses, counselors, and volunteers focus on making patients
as comfortable as possible, while allowing patients to remain at home
and close to their families. With comprehensive assistance, these
caregivers help control pain and other symptoms and provide emotional
and spiritual support to both patient and family. In 2002, according to
the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, an estimated
885,000 individuals were admitted to one of the over 3,000 hospice
programs in the United States.
My Administration has acted to strengthen and modernize Medicare for our
seniors, and we remain committed to providing a health care system that
meets the needs of every patient. Hospice services are covered by
Medicare, and many States offer hospice care under their Medicaid
programs. The Medicare legislation that I signed into law last December
provides that Medicare will, for the first time, cover hospice
consultation services so that terminally ill patients and their families
will better understand end-of-life issues and care options. The
legislation also makes the program more flexible and responsive to the
needs of patients, allows patients to designate a nurse practitioner to
coordinate their hospice care, and directs the Secretary of Health and
Human Services to explore ways to make hospice care more widely
available to beneficiaries who live in rural areas.
Americans believe in the worth and dignity of every person, and we are
promoting a culture of life in our Nation. By caring for life at every
stage, we can create a more compassionate and merciful world.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2004 as National
Hospice Month. I encourage all our citizens to observe this month with
appropriate programs and activities. I also ask Americans to recognize
our health care professionals and volunteers for their contributions to
helping those facing terminal illness receive quality care.

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118 STAT. 4208

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of
November, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH

PROCLAMATION 7844--NOV. 9, 2004