The end of an era: LHC Group’s journey as a public company concludes 
NewsCase.com | Financial Intelligence; by Angelina; 2/21/26 
A significant chapter in the healthcare market has closed. LHC Group, a specialist in home health and hospice care, is no longer traded as an independent public entity. Its acquisition by Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, was finalized three years ago, marking the complete integration of the company into the larger corporate structure. This move prompts a broader look at the implications for the home care industry’s future.

Cornhole for hospice raises over $76K 
Chatham Daily News; by Daily News Staff; 2/25/26 
The third-annual Cornhole for Hospice fundraiser in Chatham-Kent raised $76,574 this past weekend. Presented by title sponsor Glenn Seeds Ltd., Saturday’s event brought players of all skill levels together at the John D. Bradley Convention Centre for a day of friendly competition.

Bridging the differences in care for grieving people: Worden’s differentiation between grief counseling and grief therapy 
Death Studies; by Mark D. de St. Aubin and William G. Hoy; 2/14/26 
Worden’s (1982, 5th ed 2018) landmark textbook on caring for bereaved individuals differentiated grief counseling from grief therapy, defining the former as the efforts of both professional and lay caregivers to support bereaved people in normal grief. Grief therapy, he posited, is the more structured intervention offered by credentialed caregivers to support individuals coping with a more complicated experience of mourning. In this article, the authors explain Worden’s perspective, describe his types of complicated mourning for which grief therapy might be warranted, and offer clinical application to the approaches Worden takes.

What my sister Ellen taught me about dignity and the importance of being seen: A powerful reflection on person-centered care, bias, and the true meaning of human dignity in medicine 
Good Men Project; by Harvey Max Chochinov; 2/23/26 
Several years before her death at the age of 55 years due to complications of cerebral palsy, my sister Ellen was again in hospital, this time in intensive care and on the brink of respiratory collapse.  ... I’ve spent my entire career as a psychiatrist working in palliative care. This has included leading a large program of research, examining most aspects of end-of-life experience for patients nearing death. Recently I have recast the Golden Rule for healthcare professionals, reminding them they must aspire to a higher standard. I have coined this The Platinum Rule: do unto others as they would want done unto themselves. This means that healthcare professionals can’t presume to know what is in the patient’s best interest based on what they themselves would want in those circumstances; in other words, they need to take the time to consider the patient’s goals, hopes and wishes.

5 ways your social connections can boost your longevity 
yahoo!health; by Erica Sloan; 2/19/26 
5 ways a strong social network can add years to your life

1. It softens the impact of stress. ...
2. It sends a helpful signal to your immune system. ...
3. It makes you more likely to take care of yourself. ...
4. It improves your ability to recover from sickness. ...
5. It keeps you mentally sharp. ... 

Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Programs: Nationwide Temporary Moratoria on enrollment of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) supplier medical supply companies 
Federal Register; by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; 2/27/26 
Summary: This notice announces the imposition of a 6-month nationwide moratorium on the Medicare enrollment of DMEPOS supplier medical supply companies.
Background: ... Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 111-148), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152) (collectively known as the Affordable Care Act), Congress provided the Secretary with new tools and resources to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Medical Aid in Dying: A narrative review of the recent academic literature in the United States 
Cureus; by Holland Kaplan, Soraira Pacheco, Keziah M. Thomas, Christopher L. Ulmschneider, Anjiya Sulaiman, Chandni Lotwala, Derek Dawes, Issa A. Hanna, Courtney Nguyen, Caroline G. Snider, Gabriel M. Aisenberg; 2/23/26 
... To assess how academic discourse may shape public opinion and policy in the United States, we conducted a narrative review of the literature published between 2020 and 2024. Articles were categorized as supportive, opposing, or neutral, and patterns were examined across authorship, disciplinary focus, and target populations. ... Authorship discipline strongly influenced position, with legal journals disproportionately supportive and religious journals more frequently opposed. Arguments favoring MAiD emphasized autonomy and relief of suffering, whereas opposing articles highlighted risks to vulnerable populations and potential harm. 

James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, and when celebrity deaths trigger health anxiety 
USA Today; by Rachel Hale; 2/23/26 
Many TV fans are reeling from the shock of two celebrity deaths back to back. Within days, fans said goodbye to "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane, of "Grey's Anatomy.” What's more, both stars died before ever seeing the age of 55 and after battling devastating illnesses. ... Celebrity deaths can feel personal, even if you never met the person. And while grief is different for everyone, experts say collective grief can intensify when a public figure is mourned widely. When a death is tied to a serious illness, there’s also often another layer: heightened health anxiety. Watching a beloved public figure decline slowly can magnify existing worries about one’s own health.

Forbes: 2026 America's best large employers and America's best midsize employers 
Forbes; by Rachel Rabkin Peachman; 2/10/26 
... The annual rankings were based primarily on survey responses from more than 217,000 employees working at companies within the U.S. that employ more than 1,000 people. ... As with all Forbes lists, companies pay no fee to participate or be selected. ... [Healthcare organizations listed in the top 50 organizations include the following, with rankings among all industries: ...]

  2. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
10. Houston Methodist
16. MD Anderson Cancer Center
26. St. Luke's University Health Network
29. Community Health Network
32. Cedars-Sinai Health System
34. Mayo Clinic Health System
34. Nationwide Children's Hospital
38. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
41. Cook Children's Health Care System
43. Covenant Health (TN)
45. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
46. New York-Presbyterian Hospital (incl. Columbia and Cornell Medical Centers)

[United Kingdom] When a children’s hospice closes – national questions and lessons from Richard House by Peter Ellis 
ehospice; by Peter Ellis; 2/25/26 
The closure of Richard House Children’s Hospice in December 2025 represents more than the loss of a single organisation. It signals a moment of reckoning for the children’s hospice movement in the United Kingdom. Richard House served families in East London for 25 years.  East London has a hugely diverse population with some 104 languages and dialects spoken. It has a substantially higher number of children with life limited or threatened lives than any other part of the country. So, Richard House was uniquely placed in the right part of the country. Failing as it has means there are serious questions to be asked.

Social Media Watch 2/27/26

• Montgomery Hospice [Maryland] welcomes Sara McKay as COO.
• American Heart Association - Palliative / Hospice - Heart Failure certification. For a list of certified hospices, click here. [February is American Heart Month.]

Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations. ~ Dr. Mae Jemison, American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut; the first African-American woman to travel into space, Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992