Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 118.djvu/4237

 118 STAT. 4207 PROCLAMATION 7843—NOV. 4, 2004 Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth. GEORGE W. BUSH 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 rec- ognize 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 alter- native to traditional care at a hospital or nursing home. Hospice physi- cians, 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 spir- itual support to both patient and family. In 2002, according to the Na- tional 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 cov- ered by Medicare, and many States offer hospice care under their Med- icaid programs. The Medicare legislation that I signed into law last De- cember 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 legisla- tion also makes the program more flexible and responsive to the needs of patients, allows patients to designate a nurse practitioner to coordi- nate 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 Con- stitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2004 as National Hospice Month. I encourage all our citizens to ob- serve 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. VerDate 11-MAY-2000 15:04 Nov 10, 2005 Jkt 029194 PO 00000 Frm 00173 Fmt 8087 Sfmt 8087 C:\STATUTES\2004\29194PT4.004 APPS10 PsN: 29194PT4

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