Medicare could have saved $255.1 Million related to hospice services for certain new hospice enrollees 
United States Government HHS-Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Report number: A-06-22-09003; issued on 6/18/2026, posted on 6/23/26 

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Guest Editor's Note, Judi Lund Person: Some years ago, the OIG conducted a national hospice audit with a random selection of 100 hospice claims from a large number of hospices for FFY 2021 (October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021). The criteria for the random sample was new hospice enrollees in the initial certification period.  Those excluded from the sample were new enrollees who had inpatient or emergency claims during the 18 months prior to the enrollee’s start of hospice care and who were still alive 180 days after starting hospice care. In the 100 claim review, 24 claims found the terminal prognosis was not supported by documentation. In addition, 7 claims provided no supporting documentation, 7 had missing elements of the election statement, 3 had no election statement, 5 had no certification of terminal illness (CTI) and 2 were missing elements of the CTI. The OIG recommends that “CMS work with the hospice MACs to consider this high-risk area in their hospice eligibility reviews and possibly develop pre- or postpayment review procedures for new hospice enrollees who did not have inpatient or emergency room claims 18 months prior to starting hospice care.” CMS concurred. 

Honoring Juneteenth: Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Announcement 1927-1936

Read today's entry for 1927-1936
Learn about our daily 25-part series , A History of Care: 250 Years of Need, Service and Hope
by Joy S. Berger, Editor in Chief, with AI assistance for graphics and research

Somerset hospice opening delayed by Medicare move 
The Tribune-Democrat, Somerset, PA; by Kelly Urban; 6/20/26 
Following a ribbon-cutting in May for the reopening of the Somerset inpatient hospice facility, Windber Hospice at Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber has provided an update regarding the facility’s opening timeline. While the facility remains on track to reopen, the opening has been delayed by a recently announced nationwide Medicare enrollment moratorium affecting new hospice enrollments and hospice locations. ... “We know many families have been eagerly anticipating the return of inpatient hospice care in Somerset County, and we share their disappointment in this unexpected delay,” said Richard Sukenik, CEO of Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber. “We are actively working with local, state and federal legislators to seek assistance and ensure they understand the importance of bringing this service back to Somerset County. We will continue pursuing every available avenue to move this project forward while preparing to welcome patients as soon as approval is granted.” [Access to the full article may be limited by a paywall.]

Haven Hospice Attic Resale Store celebrates grand opening in Chiefland 
Levy Citizen, Chiefland, FL; by Antoinette Meyer; 6/22/26 
The new Haven Hospice Attic Resale Store in Chiefland welcomed hundreds of visitors during its grand opening celebration June 19 and 20, marking the beginning of a new community-focused retail location that supports Haven Hospice programs and services. The two-day event kicked off Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held in partnership with the Chiefland Area Chamber of Commerce ... Saturday’s grand opening celebration continued with local retail and food vendors ... According to Haven Hospice Director of Retail Operations Clay Dzioba, the event drew strong support from across the tri-county area.

Caregiving stressors and sleep outcomes: Examining group differences among caregivers of persons living with dementia 
The Journals of Gerontology; by Fei Wang, Seungjong Cho, Anne Conway, Yejin Heo, Christine Lau, Karyne Machry; 5/26
Caring for persons living with dementia often involves high levels of physical demands and emotional burden, which may undermine caregivers’ sleep quality. Few studies have examined sleep health among Black caregivers of persons living with dementia, despite the fact that they are underrepresented in dementia research and experience poorer sleep outcomes compared to non-Hispanic White caregivers. Subjective caregiving stressor (i.e., role overload) was positively associated with sleep disturbance. A significant interaction showed that the association between role overload and sleep disturbance was stronger among Black caregivers than in non-Hispanic White caregivers. Findings also suggest that Black caregivers of persons living with dementia may experience greater vulnerability to the adverse role of role overload in relation to sleep.

Five takeaways: Star investigation into alleged Southern Arizona 'cult' 
Tuscon.com, Tuscon, AZ; by Tim Stellar; 6/18/26 
An Arizona Daily Star investigation found that a Southern Arizona religious group is making millions per year from its hospice in Tucson and Tubac, while former members complain the group forces members to work for free, including at that hospice. Former members interviewed described the Global Community Communications Alliance as a "cult," and court filings call it a high-control religious group with a closed campus. Here are five takeaways from the investigation:

1. Former members allege 'forced labor' ...
2. Hospice makes big profits ...
3. Members give up possessions, connections ...
4. Sex abuse unreported, lawsuits say ...
5. Group defends itself ...

CMS proposed rule locks in lower prices and fosters innovation for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program 
CMS.gov; Press Release; 6/12/26 
A new proposal from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would establish a permanent framework for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (“Negotiation Program”), creating a more transparent and sustainable process for lowering drug costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. The proposed rule would also create greater long-term certainty for drug manufacturers that participate in negotiations. It includes policies for negotiating and renegotiating high-cost, single-source drugs beginning with initial price applicability year 2029, while continuing to support innovation and strengthen the program.

Seniors stitch quilts for hospice patients, turning personal grief into community giving 
WTXL-27 ABC, Tallahassee, FL; by Tatyana Purifoy; 6/19/26 
A group of seniors at the Gadsden County Senior Center is turning thread, fabric, and friendship into comfort for others — forming a quilting club that creates handmade quilts donated to local hospice patients. ... For Rose Jackson, the project is personal. She was eager to partner with hospice because of the care and support her family received when her mother passed away. ... Member Ora Green says the project has given the group more than just something to do. Green is 96 years old and began her quilting journey at age 10. She says the club has given members an opportunity to use their talents to help others.

Beyond the pilot trap: how healthcare can scale AI without losing trust 
MedCityNews; by Prashant Sareen; 6/18/26 
The future of healthcare depends on enterprises moving decisively beyond the pilot trap by treating enterprise AI as a platform capable of sustaining hundreds of dynamic models. The question facing healthcare leaders today is no longer whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be transformative, but whether our organizations can transform quickly enough to harness it at an enterprise scale. The industry has moved past the initial excitement of proof-of-concept (POC) success, only to be confronted by a structural chasm: the Pilot Trap. 

Senators Hassan, Scott introduce bipartisan bill to establish www.ReportScams.Gov, first central portal for Americans to report scams and get help 
Maggie Hassan, US Senator for New Hampshire, Washington, DC; Press Release; 6/15/26 
U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation to establish the first central portal for Americans to report scams and get the help they need from law enforcement and federal agencies. The ReportScams.gov Act will establish a comprehensive Federal Scams Action Plan and create a website – www.ReportScams.gov – to serve as a central location for federal scams reporting, information, and assistance. “Today, with no central hub to combat scams, Americans are forced to navigate a maze of agencies and websites when they want to report a scam and get help. ...” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan bill will establish a comprehensive, unified plan to thwart scammers and provide consumers with one clear user-friendly portal where they can report scams and alert law enforcement.”

1957-1966: 250 Years - A History of Care
Hospice & Palliative Care Today; by Joy Berger; for 6/28/26
Read details and explore source links

• 1950s – Baby Boomers and the Promise of a Longer Life
  
  
• 1963 – President John F. Kennedy’s Death and Televised Grief
  
  
• 1965 – Medicare, Medicaid, and Who Gets Care
  
  
• Martin Luther King Jr., speech to the Medical Committee for Human Rights, March 25, 1966

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