Proposed Rule: FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements. CMS-1851-P Display
Regulations.gov -  An official website of the United States Government | CMS; 4/6/26 
This proposed rule would update the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap for Fiscal Year 2027; include an analysis of Medicare non-hospice spending, and proposes requirements that hospices provide the hospice election statement addendum to all Medicare beneficiaries. Additionally, this rule proposes conforming regulation text changes to discharge from hospice care regulations; regulation text changes to the face-to-face encounter regulations; and includes RFI on community palliative care services; hospice specific wage index construction; and the overlap between hospice and medical aid in dying. Finally, this rule proposes changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program. In commenting, please refer to file code. CMS-1851-P. [Find the "Download" button for the official document.] 
Editor's Note: Comment to CMS for FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements. CMS-1851-P Display; Regulations.gov - An official website of the United States Government | CMS; Comment Period Ends: Jun 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT

CMS ups hospice oversight: 5 things to know 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 4/3/26 
CMS is implementing new oversight measures for hospice programs, which include an updated scoring system, state-specific oversight and changes to election statement addenda. The new scoring system is part of an effort to “strengthen oversight, improve transparency for patient families and ensure Medicare hospice benefits are not abused,” according to an April 2 agency news release. [Fact Sheet] Here’s what to know:

1. The new scoring system will be based on indicators of potential inappropriate utilization, quality of care and compliance concerns. ...
2. The agency is expanding its state-specific “targeted oversight approach” to identify and address fraudulent activities in hospices, which will include unannounced hospice site visits ...
3. Georgia and Ohio were added to CMS’ list of states with elevated fraud risk, joining Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas. ...
4. The agency proposed a new icon for the Care Compare site to identify hospices that do not meet requirements under the Hospice Quality Reporting Program.
5. Hospices will be required to provide an election statement addendum to all Medicare beneficiaries upon election of hospice care. ...

Empath Health completes Trustbridge integration, creating Florida's largest non-profit hospice network and expanding home-based care vision 
Empath Health, Lakewood Ranch, FL; Press Release; 4/6/26 
Empath Health today announced the completion of Trustbridge's integration into its statewide network, finalizing a two-year affiliation that makes Empath Florida's largest non-profit hospice network and positions the organization to serve one in five hospice patients in Florida. ... Both will carry forward under the name Empath Trustbridge Hospice. ... Empath Trustbridge Hospice joins Empath Health's One Hospice Model alongside Empath Suncoast Hospice in the Tampa Bay region, Empath Tidewell Hospice on the Southwest Florida coast, and Empath Hospice of Marion County in Ocala, four legacy non-profit organizations with 40 to 50 years of community roots ...

VNA Care names Salvatore Perla, DrPH, as President and Chief Executive Officer 
VNA Care, Worcester, MA; Press Release; 3/30/26 
VNA Care, one of the Commonwealth’s largest independent nonprofit home health, hospice, palliative care, and private care providers, today announced the appointment of Salvatore (Sal) Perla, DrPH, as President and Chief Executive Officer. Perla will begin this role on April 6. ... Perla is a longtime resident of Leominster, Mass., who brings more than 25 years of experience leading multi-site healthcare organizations through growth, service line expansion, and integration of post-acute and home health services across the care continuum. 

How to navigate a multigenerational team in health care
HomeCare; by Kimberly Skehan & Jennifer Kennedy; 4/2/26 
For the first time in history, five generations are working side by side in today’s organizations. Each cohort brings distinct experiences, values, communication styles and expectations. In health care, these differences influence not only workplace culture but also how care is delivered, received and supported. Understanding generational differences is no longer a soft skill. It is a strategic competency tied directly to quality, compliance, workforce sustainability and patient experience. 
The 5 Generations:

• Traditionalists or the Silent Generation (born 1925–1945) ...
• Baby boomers (born 1946–1964) ...
• Generation X (born 1965–1980) ...
• Millennials (born 1981–1996) ...
• Generation Z (born 1997–2012) ...

Editor's Note: Add to this excellent content the generational differences for (1) younger professionals who provide care to typically older patients and caregivers, and for (2) a large number of older volunteers who are immersed in your "younger" technology systems and communications.

Students provide a lifeline for dementia caregiver 
Lovin' Life; by Lin Sue Flood; 4/5/26 
When ASU junior Emily-Jane Crawford finishes her classes and homework, she travels to Glendale to visit a very special friend. Bud Addison is 81 years old, and despite his dementia, Emily-Jane’s visits are the highlight of his week. ... This connection is the heart of RISE (Respite in Student Engagement), a unique partnership between Arizona State University and Hospice of the Valley. ... Hospice of the Valleys dementia team provides specialized training that focuses on creating meaningful interactions. Families pay the students $20 per hour to offer this companionship and emotional support.

When shared decision-making becomes medical paternalism: Conversations about end-of-life care can turn into conflicts over authority 
MedPage Today; by DeAnna M. Pollock, MD; 4/1/26 
"Why haven't they scheduled your dad for his feeding tube placement? They just want another family conference." I sighed and told my mother we may have to fight. The physicians caring for my father seemed ready to overrule her decision, even though she held his medical power of attorney. When I spoke with an intern, I explained that our family had not changed its mind about the course of treatment. We simply wanted to know when the feeding tube would be placed. Her response stunned me. "We refuse to place it," she said. "And we have the right to refuse anything." Calmly, I explained that, as a physician myself, ...

More people are choosing the option to die under Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act 
The Oregonian/OregonLive; by Kristine de Leon; 4/3/26 
More people are turning to Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act – and more than ever are getting prescriptions for life-ending drugs, according to a new state data released Thursday [4/2]. For nearly three decades, the law has allowed Oregonians who meet certain conditions to receive prescription medications to help them end their lives, rather than waiting for a disease to run its course. ... An annual report compiled by the Oregon Health Authority shows more patients are seeking the option. Last year, doctors wrote 637 prescriptions under the Death with Dignity Act -- the highest number on record, according to state data. That’s a modest 5% increase from 2024, but part of a longer trend that has pushed participation steadily upward.

Blending storytelling with education: Southampton author’s book sheds light on hospice and palliative care 
Daily Hampshire Gazette; by Sam Ferland; 3/3/26 
When a loved one is dying, there is no specific script to freeze the flooding of emotions and decisions a family faces. But hospice nurse Maureen Groden believes bridges can be built through the power of storytelling to help guide families over the universal challenges faced as a loved one nears the end of life. “It’s about telling stories and listening to them too,” said Groden, who has more than 30 years of experience nursing in the Valley.

Development and psychometric properties of PEACE-Q: A questionnaire on attitudes towards physician-assisted dying, euthanasia, advance directives and care at the end-of-life 
Cureus; by Vasilios Koulouras, Spiros Georgakis, Elena Dragioti, Foteini Veroniki, Mary Gouva 
... In conclusion, the PEACE-Q emerges as a valid, reliable, and culturally sensitive instrument for assessing societal attitudes toward euthanasia, PAD, ADs, and EOL care. ... By bridging empirical research, bioethical deliberation, and policy-making, the PEACE-Q provides an essential tool for understanding and addressing end-of-life attitudes in diverse but interconnected contexts.

Healthcare across borders: How the U.S. health system compares to others around the world 
Chicago Health; by Kathleen Aharoni; 4/3/26 
More than half of the world’s countries guarantee a right to healthcare in their constitutions. The United States does not. No federal or state law explicitly safeguards citizens’ health or well-being as a guaranteed right. Countries worldwide take varying approaches. ... In a ranking of 10 health systems worldwide, the U.S. ranked last — and has ranked last in each of the Commonwealth Fund’s “Mirror, Mirror” reports since 2014. The nonprofit foundation has supported independent research on healthcare policy since 1918. 

It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt