Hospice leaders applaud CMS’s decision to reevaluate Special Focus Program, call for meaningful reforms 
National Alliance for Care at Home, Washington, DC and Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 2/14/25 
Effective February 14, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has ceased the implementation of the Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP) so that CMS may further evaluate the program. This decision is a positive move acknowledging that the current approach is not working as intended. The hospice community has long advocated for strong oversight and patient protections, but the SFP, as implemented, was deeply flawed, unlawful, and harmful to the very patients it was meant to protect. A multi-state coalition of hospices and hospice associations took legal action in January to challenge the program, citing its misrepresentation of hospice compliance records, misleading data, and jeopardized access to high-quality end-of-life care. The flawed algorithm behind the SFP failed to distinguish fraudulent providers from reputable ones, disproportionately penalized well-established hospices, and ignored repeated warnings from congressional leaders and industry stakeholders. ... Now that CMS is reassessing its approach, there is an opportunity to ensure that oversight efforts truly enhance patient protections without restricting access to trusted hospice providers. The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) remain committed to protecting access to high-quality hospice care and ensuring that regulatory oversight is fair, transparent, and aligned with congressional intent. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.] 

UnitedHealth, Amedisys plan divesture of up to 128 locations 
Modern Healthcare; by Diane Eastabrook; 2/11/25 
UnitedHealth Group said in a court filing Friday [2/7/25] its plans to sell at least 128 home health and hospice locations to ease the Justice Department's antitrust concerns around its acquisition of Amedisys. The divestiture plans were part of a filing in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland in a response to the Justice Department’s lawsuit to block the proposed acquisition. ... The company didn’t identify which locations would be sold, but said they would be in areas where UnitedHealth Group and Amedisys’ combined market share would exceed the thresholds federal regulators allege could harm competition. UnitedHealth Group said in the court filing it was in the process of identifying qualified buyers who would be able to operate and grow the divested locations.

Hospice provider sues to demand denied employee retention credit 
Bloomberg Law; by Tristan Navera; 2/13/25 
Hospice healthcare provider Passages LLC is contesting the IRS denial of a $663,000 employee retention credit, arguing that it’s eligible for the coronavirus incentive program due to the disruptions it faced during the pandemic. The New Orleans-based company said the IRS wrongly denied its claim for the ERC credit—a program that reimbursed companies for keeping workers on the payroll during the economic disruption caused by Covid-19—for one quarter of 2021. The company endured partial suspension of its operations and should qualify, it told the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Local hospice clinic reacts to doctor’s death 
NBC 11, CBS 13, Fox 9, Yuma, AZ; by Miriam Ordonez and Dillon Fuhrman; 2/12/25 
A Yuma physician has been identified as the victim of a fatal vehicle crash that took place early Monday morning. 75-year-old William Michael Shea, a longtime doctor at Hospice of Yuma, was struck while crossing S. James Drive at East 24th Street. Authorities say the driver, a 65-year-old woman, was turning onto James Road from 24th Street when the accident happened. Shea was rushed to Onvida Health, where he later died from his injuries. Hospice of Yuma shared their sadness over Dr. Shea's passing, calling him a beloved leader whose "dedication, compassion and leadership touched countless lives."

Advanced cardiac care boosts symptom management, quality of life 
Carolina Caring, Newton, NC; by Cassidy Collins; 2/12/25 
For those living with advanced heart disease or heart failure diagnoses, access to the right medical care can greatly improve their quality of life. This Heart Month, Carolina Caring is spotlighting the Advanced Cardiac Care Program, which provides treatment and clinical support to help patients with heart failure manage their symptoms from wherever they call home. It is the first program of its kind in North Carolina and one of the first established in the nation. It also recognized as a Certified Care program in Palliative/Hospice Heart Failure from the American Heart Association (AHA). Since this certification, Carolina Caring saw a drop to zero readmissions for primary congestive heart failure Hospice patients by the end of 2024. The benefits of this comprehensive, home-based cardiac care program are best illustrated through individuals such as Shirley, a hospice patient who began her journey with Carolina Caring last spring.

Death Matters: The gift of presence: Tips for visiting someone who is dying 
Squim Gazette, Squim, WA; by Jeanette Stehr-Green, Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County; 2/12/25 
We sometimes avoid visiting friends or family members who are terminally ill. We make lots of excuses. We don’t know what to say. We don’t know how to act. We don’t want to be a bother. The hard truth is that dying, the final stage of life, can be a lonely experience without the presence of family and friends. A visit during this time can bring comfort to the dying person and their family. It can also provide an opportunity to share feelings, reminisce, and say goodbye. Visiting a dying person seems difficult because most of us lack experience. It only takes a little courage and a few ideas to create a meaningful moment. ... 
Editor's note: These excellent guidelines empower hospice patients' families and friends--and protect patients' vulnerable energies and emotions--in multiple settings across the trajectory of dying. How might you adapt these for your own patient/caregiver support and community outreach?

People with depression develop long-term health conditions quicker than those without, study finds 
McKnights Home Care; by Kristen Fischer; 2/13/25 
Adults who have experienced depression develop long-term physical conditions about 30% faster than those without depression, a new study finds. Authors of the report said depression needs to be viewed as a “whole body” condition, with treatment approaches that address mental and physical health. The report was published Thursday [2/13/25] in PLOS Medicine. Investigators evaluated the association between depression and the rate at which conditions accrued in midlife and older age.

The number of family caregivers helping older US adults increased from 18 million to 24 million, 2011–22 
Health Affairs; by Jennifer L. Wolff, Jennifer C. Cornman, and Vick A. Freedman; 2/25 
The evolving composition and experiences of the family caregiver workforce have profound ramifications for public policy but are not well understood. Drawing on the linked National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving, we found that the numbers of family caregivers providing help to older adults increased by nearly six million between 2011 and 2022, rising from 18.2 million to 24.1 million. ... For family caregivers as a whole, challenges persist, and for those assisting people with dementia, tailored surveillance and effective support programs are needed.

How medtech is meeting the demand for hospital-at-home care 
Modern Healthcare; by Lauren Dubinsky; 2/13/25 
Medtech companies have their eye on the growing hospital-at-home market, which is driven largely by the rising elderly population, the prevalence of chronic diseases and favorable reimbursement policies. There have been hiccups but some of the largest health systems have leaned into providing hospital-level care at home. ... The desire to safely provide care for patients at home is creating a ripe opportunity for companies like Masimo, Cardinal Health, Medline Industries and McKesson, despite some uncertainty. The global home healthcare market was valued at $257 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach nearly $531 billion by 2032, according to a Vantage Market Research report published in September.

57 health systems on Forbes' list of best large employers 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 2/13/25 
Forbes released its annual ranking of America's best large employers Feb. 12, and it included 57 hospitals and health systems. The publication partnered with market research firm Statista to compile lists of the top large and midsize employers in the U.S. after surveying more than 217,000 employees working at companies within the U.S. that employ more than 1,000 people. Companies with more than 5,000 employees were considered for the large employers ranking. Survey participants were asked whether they would recommend their employer to others and to rate it based on criteria such as pay, work environment, training programs and advancement opportunities. [The top 5 hospice and health systesms include the following. Forbes' list does not include home health or staffing agencies]

1. Houston Methodist
2. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York City)
3. University of Tennessee Medical Center (Knoxville)
4. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis, Tenn.)
5. St. Luke's University Health Network (Bethlehem, Pa.)
6. [Click here for the full list and links to more informoation] 

Class action over UHG's alleged AI-driven care denials advances 
Modern Healthcare; by Lauren Berryman; 2/13/25 
A class action regarding UnitedHealthcare’s alleged use of artificial intelligence to deny care for Medicare Advantage members will continue playing out in court, but with fewer claims. In a court filing Thursday, a federal judge said two of seven claims brought against UnitedHealth Group by health plan members and their families — who alleged the company used AI to deny coverage for medically necessary post-acute care — can move forward. UnitedHealth Group has been battling the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, since November 2023. Plaintiffs have alleged the company's health insurance unit UnitedHealthcare used an AI tool called nH Predict to make coverage decisions, sometimes overriding physician judgment. 

Delivery driver’s heartbreaking realization after he picks up hospital job 
Newsweek Life; by Lydia Patrick; 2/13/25 
A food delivery driver's shift took an unexpected and poignant turn when he accepted a hospital order that carried a heartbreaking significance. Reddit user u/ondasher808, who chose to remain anonymous, shared that delivering to hospitals is common, as many staff members place orders. However, this particular request included a room number in the ICU, which does not allow direct deliveries. ... He called the customer upon arrival. ... The woman who answered thanked him and assured him that someone would come down to retrieve the food. Then, she added something that left him stunned-it was "someone's final meal." ... Five minutes later, a nurse arrived to collect the bag. ... "I noticed that the bag contained a Happy Meal and that was a bit of a shock because I didn't expect it." ... Later that night, he turned to Reddit to process his emotions, surprised by the outpouring of support from fellow drivers, customers who had ordered final meals for loved ones, and health-care workers who had witnessed similar moments.

Patrick Mahomes' grandfather dies days after Chiefs' Super Bowl heartbreak 
Fox News; by Paulina Dedaj; 2/14/25 
The grandfather of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has died just weeks after being put in hospice care, the NFL star’s mother confirmed Friday. Randi Mahomes shared a post on Instagram announcing the passing of her father, Randy. The heartbreaking news for the Mahomes family comes just days after the Chiefs suffered a crushing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. [Click here for their previous post, Patrick Mahomes' grandfather reportedly 'hanging on' in hospice care to watch grandson play in Super Bowl LIX]

The talk nurses don't talk about enough: Death and dying 
Nurse.org - Nurse Converse podcast; by "Courtney" DNP, APRN, AGNP-C; 2/11/25 
... Nursing and medical curricula extensively cover subjects such as pathophysiology, pharmacology, and anatomy, yet they often fail to provide structured training on effective communication regarding death and dying. In the podcast, the hosts recall their own educational experiences, noting that they were not equipped with the tools or frameworks necessary to engage in these sensitive discussions. One telling example from a medical course on difficult conversations revealed that when students were asked if they had received any training on the subject, not a single hand was raised. 

Humana posts $693M loss in Q4 
Becker's Payer Issues; by Jakob Emerson; 2/11/25 
Humana lost $693 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the company's year-end earnings report published Feb. 11. The results reflect increased benefits expenses, particularly in Medicare Advantage and state-based contracts. Despite the challenges, the company projected earnings per share of $15.88 for 2025, with an adjusted EPS of approximately $16.25. Total revenues in the fourth quarter were $29.2 billion, up 10.4% year over year. In 2024, total revenues were $117.8 billion, up 10.7%. Humana posted a net loss of $693 million in the fourth quarter, compared to a $541 million net loss the year prior. In 2024, the company's net income totaled nearly $1.2 billion, down 52%.

Leadership should be born out of understanding the needs of those who will be affected by it. ~ Marian Anderson
Honoring Black History Month 2025