Get ready to access the Hospice Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER)
CMS Center for Program Integrity; 5/28/26 
CPI is getting really close to releasing the Hospice Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER). The Hospice PEPPER will be available through the PEPPER Portal in early June 2026. To ensure hospice providers can successfully access their reports, we ask that you distribute the following instructions to your members.

How to Download Your PEPPER: Staff End User (SEU) Access

The Hospice PEPPER will be available through the PEPPER Portal to Authorized Officials (AOs), Access Managers (AMs), and Staff End Users (SEUs) who have been granted the PEPPER business function in the CMS Identity & Access Management (I&A) System.

To become a Staff End User (SEU) and access your organization’s PEPPER:

1. Log in to the CMS I&A System using your existing NPPES or PECOS credentials.
2. Request the PEPPER business function under your organization.
3. Obtain approval from your organization’s AO or AM (only AOs and AMs can approve SEU access).
4. Once approved, log in to the PEPPER Portal using the same credentials to download your organization’s PEPPER.

• Authorized Officials and Access Managers can find step-by-step instructions in the I&A Quick Reference Guide and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
• If users need help identifying their AO or AM, or have questions about their request, they may contact the PECOS External User Services (EUS) Help Desk.

HopeHealth Hospice & Palliative Care 50th Anniversary Gala raises over $410K to support care for all who need it 
HopeHealth, Providence, RI; Press Release; 5/27/26 
HopeHealth, the second oldest hospice in the country, today announced that it raised over $410,000 during its 50 Years of Hope & Gratitude gala on May 21. Celebrating HopeHealth’s extraordinary 50 years of care at the WaterFire Arts Center were 400 supporters, community leaders, and advocates, including Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed. The event also marked the public launch of HopeHealth’s The Gift of Hope campaign, which supports the organization’s growth and investment in three strategic priorities: providing support for seriously ill patients and their caregivers; expanding outreach to underserved communities; and providing hospice access through the Arthur S. Robbins Hope Fund, named in memory of the beloved community leader and former HopeHealth board member. Campaign Tri-Chairs Ruth Fain, Jonathan Fain, and Christopher Marsella announced that the campaign has quietly raised $4.2 million to date. 

Nurse and provider perceptions of palliative care 
Nursing Management; by Eydie Tipton, Tracy Viers, and Chelsea Wilson; 5/1/26 
Conclusions: Findings suggest that knowledge gaps may not be the primary barrier to palliative care (PC) utilization. Instead, systemic and cultural factors likely contribute to under-referral. Leadership-driven strategies, including standardized referral processes, enhanced interprofessional education, and supportive clinical environments, may help translate knowledge into consistent practice.
Editor's Note: Yes, real persons are behind each research article we post. Read this community's pride in the palliative care nurses of Quincy, IL behind this study. Eydie, Tracy and Chelsea saw a need, developed a research project, and saw it through to publication: National journal publishes palliative care research by area nurses.

From loss to calling: Nursing students’ experiences of family terminal illness and death in the formation of professional identity and humanistic care 
Death Studies; by Laurie Glick and Adi Finkelstein; 5/10/26 
... This qualitative study examined nursing graduates who experienced the terminal illness and death of a close family member, providing them with early exposure to clinical settings and shaping their emotional insight and sensitivity to the psychosocial dimensions of end-of-life care. Their experiences often deepened their desire to enter the nursing profession and deliver compassionate, humanistic, family-centered care as clinical practitioners. 
Editor's Note: Behind many hospice and palliative care careers is a deeply personal story. “What drew you to this work?” may be one of the most meaningful questions we ask.

Bridging faith and palliative care: Catholic clergy and community engagement in the United States 
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care; by Clotilde Dudley-Smith and Brian Stiltner; 5/27/26 
... Spiritual care delivered by community clergy when disconnected from contemporary palliative care principles may, in some cases, unintentionally contribute to delayed hospice referral and increased use of aggressive, nonbeneficial treatments near the end of life. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature in palliative care, chaplaincy, and sociology of religion, this paper examines structural, educational, and cultural barriers that limit collaboration between palliative care teams and Catholic clergy in the United States.
Editor's Note: This research offers insight relevant beyond Catholic clergy alone. Faith communities, chaplains, and interdisciplinary teams may find a timely catalyst for examining how spiritual care and collaboration throughout serious illness and end-of-life care influence patient and family experiences. For more about board-certified chaplains, explore the Association for Professional Chaplains.

Home health & hospice M&A in 2026: why buyers are looking closely at Artificial Intelligence, workflow efficiency, and operational scalability 
JD Supra; by Jason Bring, Matthew Brohm, Jennifer Downs Burgar - Arnall Golden Gregory LLP; 5/27/26 
[This] examines why buyers are treating artificial intelligence, workflow automation, and operational reporting as indicators of whether home health and hospice platforms can scale efficiently while protecting margins. ...

• Technology Has Become Part of the Margin Story ...
• Buyers Want Evidence Behind AI and Automation Claims ...
• Technology Weaknesses Are Creating Diligence Friction ...
• Steps to Reduce Technology-Related Deal Risk ...
• FAQ's and Related Posts ...

Signs it’s time for in-home healthcare: 11 warning signs 
U.S. News & World Report News; by Barbara Sadick; 5/27/26 

• Physical Signs Your Loved One Needs Help at Home ...
• Medical Signs and Clinical Red Flags: When Skilled Care Is Needed ...
• Cognitive and Emotional Warning Signs in Seniors ...
• Household Red Flags: Is the Home Environment Safe? ...
• Home Healthcare vs. Home Care: Which Do You Need? ...
• How to Start the Conversation About In-Home Healthcare ...
• Bottom Line ...

BAYADA ranked on Forbes' Best Employers for New Grads list 
HomeCare News, Philadelphia, PA; Press Release; 5/27/26 
BAYADA Home Health Care announced it has been named to Forbes’ America’s Best Employers for New Grads 2026, an annual ranking based on an independent survey of more than 100,000 United States employees with fewer than 10 years of work experience. BAYADA said it is the only home healthcare organization that made the list, ranked No. 116 out of the 500 companies recognized, spanning all industries. More than 2 million employer evaluations across a three-year period informed the final list. 

The estate planning mistake that could leave your family with nothing 
Due; by Petere Daisyme; 5/28/26 
A friend’s father passed away last spring with $1.2 million in assets and no will. No trust, no beneficiary designations updated since the 1990s, no power of attorney documents. His ex-wife — not his current partner of 15 years — was still listed as the beneficiary on his life insurance and retirement accounts. Change your designations as soon as a life situation changes. ...

• The Five Documents Everyone Needs ...
• The Beneficiary Designation Trap ...
• What Probate Actually Costs ...
• What I Did After Watching My Friend’s Family Struggle ...

[United Kingdom] Palliative care beds paused over lack of staffing 
BBC News, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom; by Laura Coffey; 5/28/26 
Palliative care beds have been temporarily taken out of use for end-of-life patients due to an "unexpected shortfall in consultant cover", an NHS trust said. Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) said the six affected beds at Danetre Hospital in Daventry would instead be used for rehabilitation. ... In a statement, NHFT said: "A recruitment process is ongoing, and once the medical cover has been resolved, the beds will switch back to being palliative care beds. 

Social Media Watch 5/29/26

• Ernesto Lopez, CEO 1520ai, commented on a Harvard Business School post Gen AI boosts productivity, but can't turn novices into experts.
• The ASCENT Consortium is proud to announce the 2026 ASCENT Investigator in Residence Fellows! Congratulations to the first cohort of the ASCENT Investigator in Residence Program:
• Katarina AuBuchon, PhD
• Katherine Bernier Carney, PhD, RN
• Phuong Duong, PharmD, MBA, BCPS
• Olga Ehrlich, PhD, RN, CHPN
• Ting Guan, PhD
• Kristin Magan, PhD, MSN, AGNP-BC/AGACNP
• Eberechi Nwogu-Onyemkpa, MD, MHS, FACP, FAAHPM
• Jyotsana Parajuli, PhD, MGS, RN
• Tori Wagner, MD
• Easton Wollney, PhD
• Humane Prison Hospice Project is developing a humanitarian, cost-effective, and transformative solution to ensure that those aging and dying in prison receive compassionate care.

One last sprint, one final push--cross May's finish line with all your might.