The Alliance on CMS Hospice Special Focus Program Implementation: “Doubling down on a dangerous decision, eager to work with incoming administration to fix” 
National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/16/25 
The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement in response to the news of hospice providers filing litigation against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) over their flawed implementation of the Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). The Alliance and the broader hospice community, who have been engaged on this program since its inception, have repeatedly shared concerns directly with CMS staff at all levels. They warned that this approach would inflict unnecessary harm to patient care, cause confusion to families when selecting a hospice provider to care for their loved ones at the end of life, and will cause some providers to sustain irreparable damage. These concerns have been echoed by lawmakers, providers, and the leading national hospice trade organizations. “With CMS doubling down on a dangerous course of action by proceeding with the Hospice SFP in its current state—and offering no due process or administrative recourse to address or mitigate its flaws—some hospice providers will suffer irreparable harm and have no choice but to seek justice through the courts on behalf of their patients and mission,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the Alliance. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

NPHI supports lawsuit to ensure proper implementation of Hospice Special Focus Program 
National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/16/25
Today, a lawsuit was filed by the Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice; Indiana Association for Home & Hospice Care; Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina; South Carolina Home Care & Hospice Association; and Houston Hospice. The lawsuit challenges CMS’s implementation of the hospice Special Focus Program (SFP) as unlawful and arbitrary. We acknowledge that Houston Hospice, an NPHI member, is one of the plaintiffs in this legal action, and we are committed to supporting them and others impacted by the SFP or the accompanying excel files. The hospice Special Focus Program (SFP), conceived and passed on a bipartisan basis as a part of the HOSPICE Act in 2021, was designed to address poor-quality hospice providers by offering them additional support and technical assistance to ensure compliance with the Medicare Hospice Conditions of Participation. NPHI is extremely disappointed that CMS has departed from that Congressional intent, transforming the hospice SFP into a burden for many well-meaning hospices, with an algorithm for identifying providers based on inaccurate data and including elements that are not referenced in the statutory language. ... NPHI fully supports the litigation filed today, which aims to direct CMS to comply with the spirit and intent of the statute and regulations. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Norovirus positivity rate hits 28%, double 2024's peak: 6 notes 
Becker's Clinical Leadership; by Alexandra Murphy; 1/15/25 
A surge in norovirus infections this season has resulted in a 28% positivity rate, more than double 2024's high, alarming health officials, CBS News reported Jan. 14. The unprecedented spike is a part of a broader viral surge as the U.S. grapples with four major viruses — norovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and COVID-19. Hospitals across the country are also feeling the strain, as emergency departments struggle to accommodate the rising number of patients. ... Experts predict that the "quademic" — norovirus, syncytial virus, influenza and COVID-19 — could worsen as hospitals are already overwhelmed. With more outbreaks likely, health systems are implementing stricter protocols including visitor restrictions and increased coordination between hospitals to maintain trauma care capacity.

Which health facilities have been impacted by L.A.-area fires? AI may paint a clearer picture 
DirectRelief; by Andrew Schroeder; 1/14/25 
Geospatial AI and remote sensing advance health system impact analysis shows where facilities have been damaged or destroyed -- and where medical needs may be greatest. One of the most important factors for humanitarian responders in these types of large-scale disaster situations is to understand the effects on the formal health system, upon which most people — and vulnerable communities in particular — rely upon in their neighborhoods. Evaluation of the impact of disasters ... is traditionally a relatively slow and manually arduous process, involving extensive ground truth visitation by teams of assessment professionals. Speeding up this process without losing accuracy, while potentially improving the safety and efficiency of assessment teams, is among the more important analytical efforts Direct Relief can undertake for response and recovery efforts.

CMS Call for Nominations: 2025 CMS Health Equity Award 
U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; by CMS Health Equity; via CMS email 1/13/25
Nominations for the 2025 CMS Health Equity Award are now open to organizations working to advance health equity, showing others how to reduce disparities in health care access, quality, and outcomes. Nominations are due February 18 at 11:59 pm PT.  ... Health equity is defined by CMS as the attainment of the highest level of health for all people, where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their optimal health regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, preferred language, and other factors that affect access to care and health outcomes. 

Several large hospice providers see leadership transitions 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/13/25
New executives have stepped into c-suite and other roles at some of the nation’s largest hospice organizations as 2025 kicks off. ...

• Empath Health has announced that Deborah Johnson will become its first chief philanthropy officer. ...
• The home health and hospice provider Traditions Health has named Kim Baldwin as its new chief growth officer. ...
• Atrium Health has tapped Holly Davis to lead its clinical operations community-based palliative care program. ...
• The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) has named Steve Smith as its interim CEO. ...

‘Those Who Have Made Death Their Life’ Part 1: Hospice 
The Daily Yonder - Keep It Rural; by Hannah Clark; 1/15/25 
Hannah Clark spent six months riding along with the nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) of Hearth Hospice who provide in-home care to those living in Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee. These hospice workers often drive up to a hundred miles a day to visit a handful of patients scattered across the Appalachian landscape in both rural towns and urban centers. What will follow this introductory essay is her photo reportage in three parts, documenting what she has witnessed accompanying these caregivers. The intimate portraits and vignettes show tender moments at different stages towards the end of one’s life. Their beauty lies in the companionship Clark captured in moments of need and vulnerability. 
Editor's note: Click here for the Introduction, which we posted 1/16/25. 

Diana Franchitto named Board Chair as the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation celebrates 10 years 
National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; 1/14/25 
The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) proudly announces Diana Franchitto, President & CEO of HopeHealth, as the new Chair of its Board of Directors. A visionary leader in hospice and advanced illness care, Diana steps into this role as NPHI celebrates a decade of driving high-quality nonprofit care and innovation. “As we celebrate a decade of impact, we are thrilled to welcome Diana as the new Chair of our Board of Directors,” said Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO of NPHI. “Her deep commitment to community-based, nonprofit care and her proven leadership make her uniquely qualified to help guide NPHI into this next phase of growth and innovation. I have tremendous respect for Tom and our members’ vision for NPHI, and I’m thrilled to work closely with Tom and our entire NPHI leadership team to bring that vision to life,” said Diana. “It’s an honor to serve as Board Chair during this pivotal moment as we celebrate our first decade of impact. I look forward to collaborating with our members and Board to advance the incredible work our nonprofit hospices deliver every day. Together, we will shape the next chapter of compassionate care and champion innovative, community-driven solutions that prioritize the needs of patients and families nationwide.”

Knoxville nurses bring wedding to UT Medical Center for bride’s dying mother 
WATE Knoxville, TN; by Molly O'Brien; 1/15/25 
Nurses on the Progressive Care Unit at UT Medical Center planned a wedding for one of their patient’s daughter. Samantha Barry and her now husband, Phillip Bastelica, were supposed to get married in a few months. Barry, like most daughters, always planned on her mother being at her wedding day. Her mother, Lynn, is battling a terminal illness and was recently released from the Progressive Care Unit to hospice. ... It seemed unlikely that Lynn would be able to attend the wedding planned for August, so Barry and Bastelica decided to move the day up. ... The nurses who cared for Lynn jumped into action to plan a wedding for Barry.

DEA proposes special registrations for telehealth prescribing 
TechTarget - xtelligent Virtual Healthcare; by Anuja Vaidya; 1/15/25  
The DEA is set to publish a proposal for a special registrations framework that would allow certain healthcare practitioners to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth without performing an in-person exam first. The unpublished proposal made available on the Federal Register details the special registrations framework, which includes three types of registrations:

1. A telemedicine prescribing registration would authorize qualified clinician practitioners, including registered physicians and midlevel practitioners, to prescribe Schedule III-V controlled substances via telehealth.
2. An advanced telemedicine prescribing registration would allow specialized clinician practitioners, such as psychiatrists and hospice care physicians, to prescribe Schedule II-V controlled substances via telehealth.
3. A telemedicine platform registration would authorize covered online telehealth platforms to dispense Schedule II-V controlled substances.

CMS Health Equity Data Book 
U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - Office of Minority Health; by CMS Office of Minority Health; published December 2024, email notifications 1/15/25 
One of the six pillars of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2023 Strategic Plan is to, “Advance health equity by addressing the health disparities that underlie our health system.” The CMS Office of Minority Health (OMH) aims to advance health equity by providing broader access to data about the state of health equity across CMS’ programs. This Data Book presents summary information on disparities within CMS programs as demonstrated by data related to prevalence. ... This Data Book is intended for use as a readily-available information source on health disparities within the Medicare, Medicaid, and the Health Insurance Marketplace populations. This Data Book is organized into five key sections – CMS at a Glance, Demographics, Chronic Conditions, Behavioral Health, and Social Determinants of Health – so that Data Book users can jump to the section most relevant to their data needs. Within each section, data are presented by each population type.

California system, nonprofits pause lawsuit alleging $1B in misuse 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Kristin Kuchno; 1/6/25 
The lawsuit alleging Fresno, Calif.-based Community Health System misused $1 billion in tax dollars has been paused until June while the health system and the nonprofit plaintiffs negotiate privately, Fresnoland reported Jan. 6. Community Health System, Cultiva La Salud and Fresno Building Healthy Communities jointly filed a stipulation on Dec. 23 requesting the court to stay the case, which Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kristi Culver Kapetan approved Dec. 30, according to Fresnoland. The stay halts legal proceedings. The two nonprofit organizations filed the lawsuit in August, alleging the health system misused $1 billion in tax dollars intended to serve low-income patients.

Renovus acquires Superior Health 
McGuire Woods; by Trey Andrews; 1/13/25 
Renovus Capital Partners has announced the acquisition of Superior Health Holdings. Superior, formed in 2021 and based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a provider of home health and hospice services throughout Louisiana. Renovus, based in Philadelphia, is a lower middle market private equity firm that invests in a few sectors, including healthcare services. Founded in 2010, the firm invests across a range of healthcare companies, including those in life sciences commercialization, IT, revenue cycle management and behavioral health. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. 

HHS targets private equity, pushes for more SNF ownership transparency in new report 
McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Zee Johnson; 1/16/25 
A new federal report is calling for greater transparency in long-term care ownership, citing “growing consolidation in the healthcare sector and the lack of meaningful competition” as main drivers in decreased patient care quality and caregiver well-being. The Department of Health and Human Services released its report Wednesday. “HHS Consolidation in Health Care Markets RFI Response” was created in consultation with the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. Report authors examined a broad range of settings and deals in the healthcare sector, ultimately identifying two major trends: increasing consolidation in certain healthcare markets and a recent influx of private equity and other private investors. Some providers support the push for more ownership transparency, saying private equity acquisitions of previously nonprofit-owned healthcare providers is a symptom of a broken system.

• Banner Health has promoted Todd Werner to president of care delivery, his previous role as senior vice president of acute care
  
  
• Contessa Health's president Kendall Hagood has exited her role as president
  
  
• Empath Health has appointed Deborah Johnson as its first chief philanthropy officer, a move aimed at unifying the organization’s philanthropic efforts across its four foundations
  
  
• Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital's CEO, Andy Bertapelle, MSN, RN, CEO plans to step down from his role April 4, having accepted a new CEO rol in Washington  state; Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital comprises clinics, home care and hospice services, and rehabilitation services

Light tomorrow with today. ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning