U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Washington, DC; Press Release; 9/26/24

Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, introduced the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform and Enforcement Act (Hospice CARE Act) to modernize Medicare’s hospice benefit, which has remained largely unchanged since its inception in 1982. The proposal comes as egregious reports of fraud and abuse within the benefit persist, despite action from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The legislation is the product of years of collaboration between stakeholders, lawmakers, and industry leaders. It builds on Blumenauer’s decades-long commitment to ensure the federal government supports families at a time of great stress and vulnerability: the end of life.

“The United States spends significantly more on health care than other developed nations for worse outcomes. Nowhere is this more egregious than in the hospice industry,” said Congressman Earl Blumenauer. “Patients and families deserve better. We need a reset. It is past time for Congress to act to end the fraud, waste, and abuse within the hospice benefit and bring it into the 21st century.”

To protect patients and taxpayers, the Hospice CARE Act would institute a number of long overdue reforms to crackdown on fraud while incentivizing high-quality care. Critically, it would:

• Reform the payment structure:  ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]
• Bolster program integrity: ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

A one-page fact sheet can be found here. Bill text here. 
[Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Featured Hospice Fund Raisers - compiled by Hospice & Palliative Care Today
Compiled from numerous hospice press releases; by Joy Berger, editor; 9/26/24
As hospice and palliative care organizations wrap up summer fundraisers and move into autumn events, we have been compiling sample fundraisers, looking for themes, community engagement, success, and creativity. Typically, we post outcomes--after an event--versus promoting it prior to the event. We hope that this compilation celebrates all persons involved, and serves as a catalyst for fresh fundraising efforts. Enjoy! We welcome your thoughts on this post.   

Memorial Events, "In Memory of ..." - often core to any of the other categories
• Hospice of the Western Reserve celebrates a record-breaking Walk to Remember 
• Honoring friends, loved ones by walking at Hospice of Dayton 
• The Celebrate A Life 5K Walk for the Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice
• Cedar Valley Hospice to release 1,000 butterflies at fundraiser

Galas
• Hospice of the Foothills’ annual Moonlight Magic Gala returns for its 6th year
• On the Scene: Suncoast Hospice Foundation Gala

Sports 
• Credit Unions of Maui raise $38,000 at annual golf tournament to benefit Hospice Maui 
• 2nd Annual Walk for Hospice raises over $60,000 for the Aroostook House of Comfort 
• Mighty Niagara Half Marathon & Hospice Dash 5K
• A record-breaking Hospice Cup Regatta
• Mother, daughter swim lake in support of hospice 
• Reach and Row event to raise money for Volunteer Hospice

Food 
• ‘Hamburgers for Hospice’ raises $1,400 for Pathways  
• Barley, BBQ & Beats 2024: One great event. Five fantastic locations. - Hospice of Michigan
• HomeCare & Hospice brings the game day spirit to Batavia Down with 'Tailgate Thursday'
• Hops & Vines - Community Hospice & Health Services in Modesto, CA

Music
• 28th Annual 'Serenades of Life Doctors in Concert' to benefit Nathan Adelson Hospice 
• Heart & Soul 2024 - A Rockin' Good Time 
• Woomblies to rock the house at annual hospice concert 
• Inaugural New Braunfels singer-songwriter competition showcases love of music, gratitude for Hope Hospice

Visual Arts 
• East End Hospice Box Art Auction returns for 22nd year

Auctions  
• Hospice & Community Care Labor Day Auction raises record $1.1 million 
• Hospice wine taste and auction raises over $273K

Fashion 
• Fashion for Compassion to raise money for Victoria Hospice in October [Canada, but just a few miles from Washington state] 
• Hospice of Texarkana to host 15th Annual Jeans & Bling Event
• Wilmington's 'Last Chance for White Pants': From tickets to bourbon, here's what to know

Dance 
• A night with the stars: Soldout event raises nearly $100,000 for Richmond County Hospice 
• Dance Arts donates performance proceeds to HomeCare & Hospice Foundation 

Car Shows 
• Temple car show raises money for new local hospice house  
• Car show at Bullard raises funds for Hospice

Out-of-the-Box Creativity
• Teams have fun in the mud to help raise money for nonprofit organization 
• Over 140 cars take part in 19th Lube-a-Thon for Hospice 
• Festival of Trees 2024: Supporting hospice services in Central Oregon 
• [Tour of Homes] Fall House Walk planned as fundraiser for Sunset Hospice Cottage

5 signs that quickly identify someone with good leadership skills 
Inc., by Marcel Schwantes; 9/25/24 
Not every person in charge of another person, team, or company is aware of which behaviors motivates and inspires others. Do you agree with this statement? For any human relationship to thrive, it has to be founded on trust. ... Great Place To Work -- the global research consultancy that partners with Fortune to conduct the annual study of those best companies -- has confirmed that trust is the human behavior you cannot afford not to have. It found that 92 percent of employees believe that their managers are people they can trust. ... Not every person in charge of another person, team, or company is aware of which behaviors produce the kind of trust that motivates and inspires others. For those who do, it is a continuous journey of personal development. In their journey, they'll most likely find that trust is only present when certain behaviors are displayed daily. Here are five that I have identified as leading to trust:

1. Believe in your people first. ...
2. Lead with humility. ...
3. Give others credit. ...
4. Listen and accept honest feedback. ...
5. Share information. ...

Clearing a path for diverse leadership 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 9/20/24 
Creating a diverse nurse workforce and leadership team takes intentionality. "Diversity doesn't happen by itself. It takes effort, thought and planning," Jesus Cepero, PhD, RN, chief nursing officer, senior vice president patient care services at Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Medicine Children's Health, told Becker's. Dr. Cepero first joined Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford four years ago and said part of what made him comfortable joining was seeing the diverse team of executives already at the hospital. "Since then, our diversity at the executive level has grown," he said. "This shift has transformed our culture, promoting a sense of safety and belonging, which is key to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce." Now, he oversees 3,500 employees and one of his priorities is to further diversity work at the system. Here are his three guidelines for building a more diverse workforce and leadership team:

• Removing education barriers ... One of the greatest barriers to creating a diverse executive team is education. Many executive roles require a masters or doctoral degree. Dr. Cepero has helped seven individuals earn advanced degrees by removing barriers and supporting them during their programs. 
  
• Mentoring high performers ... "I've been a CNO for 14 years, but I wouldn't be here without those mentors and coaches who supported my development," Dr. Cepero said.
• Creating a homes ... Dr. Cepero noted that creating a home for diverse employees is critical. ...

Employee engagement can define senior living’s value proposition: panel 
McKnights Senior Living, Washington, DC; by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 9/26/24 
The senior living industry knew it had workforce challenges at least 15 years before COVID-19 hit, but it didn’t do enough about them. Today, the sector has the opportunity to be proactive and build a workforce to meet the rapidly increasing demand for senior living and care services by investing in workers and improving employee engagement. ... [Senior living leaders described the] pivotal role that cultivating a satisfied, engaged workforce plays in organizational success as well as the ability to significantly enhance operational efficiency, resident satisfaction and the bottom line through culture. Two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies invest resources in employee engagement, according to Todd Kiziminski, vice president of talent acquisition at Trilogy Health Services, who said they recognize the link between engagement strategies and the bottom line.

Most annoying office behaviors 
HR Daily Advisor; by Lin Grensing-Pophal; 9/25/24 
... Identifying Behaviors That Annoy: A great first step in combating annoyed employees is to understand what behaviors and actions set those employees off in the first place. A recent survey by Kickresume reveals the most annoying colleague behaviors. The findings showed that 85% of people have dealt with an annoying coworker, with 58% saying these behaviors significantly affect their productivity. Here is the list of the top 15 [with % of employees who find these behaviors annoying]: Credit stealer, 33%. Micromanager, 32%. Chronic complainer, 30%. Personal space intruder, 30%. Lunch thief, 27%. Non-stop chatter, 27%. Loud talker, 26%. Know-it-all, 24%. Procrastinator, 21%. Underperformer, 21%. Email spammer, 20%. Sick but shows up to work, 17%. Ignore-my-headphones talker, 17%. Corporate over-optimist, 16%. Tech illiterate, 15%. Late arriver, 15%.

Hospices delve into PACE, dementia care amid calls for change 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 9/25/24 
... Some hospices have dug deeper into the PACE program landscape as an avenue to reach patients further upstream and improve utilization and access. These programs can help hospices provide better coordinated care and help patients and their families navigate a fragmented health care system and complex web of community resources, according to Liz Fowler, president and CEO of Bluegrass Care Navigators. The Lexington, Kentucky-based hospice provider launched a PACE program in 2022. These programs are an opportunity for hospices to evolve end-of-life care models that better address social determinants of health, particularly among some of the most underserved patient populations within their service regions, Fowler stated. “PACE programs are more upstream and will hopefully allow us to care for more individuals earlier on and make connections with more diverse communities earlier as well when they see us as a trusted health care provider,” Fowler said. “The big thing with PACE programs is that they are for individuals with very high needs of complex care, and we readily address all their health care needs but also things like food, isolation and loneliness. ...”

Sarah Bush Lincoln's Hospice Binga raises record amount for endowment 
Effingham Daily News & SBL Hospice press release; 9/24/24 
Sarah Bush Lincoln’s Hospice Binga event raised a record amount on September 3, netting more than $33,000 to support the Willow Breeze Hospice House Endowment. Since opening in January, Willow Breeze offers a beautiful home-like atmosphere where skilled care is provided to people in East Central and Southern Illinois to stay during their final days while also offering amenities for their families who visit. Earnings from the endowment help those with limited resources pay for their stay. Most insurances will cover hospice care, but not room and board. 

VFW Post 4019 donates $10K to Hospice [of the Panhandle] 
The Morgan Messenger, Berkeley Springs, WV; by Kate Shunney, editor; 9/24/24 
The Risinger-Stotler VFW Post 4019 in Berkeley Springs presented a $10,000 check to Hospice of the Panhandle recently – proceeds from a fundraiser the post held to benefit Hospice patients and families. Donors and supporters at the VFW have donated close to $55,000 to Hospice over several years of fundraisers. “We are overwhelmed by their generosity – and they are so grateful for the care that we offer veterans,” said Maria Lorensen, Development Director for Hospice of the Panhandle.

I watched "His Three Daughters" on Netflix, and have to talk about how relatable the family conflict is 
Yahoo Entertainment.com; by Corey Chichizola; 9/25/24 
The streaming wars are showing no signs of slowing down, with the various services offering a variety of new and exciting content. One new film that might end up being one of the best Netflix movies out there is Azazel Jacobs' His Three Daughters, which is streaming now for those with a Netflix subscription. I recently streamed the flick, and have to talk about the family dynamics, especially as we slowly get closer to The Holidays. His Three Daughters focuses on (you guessed it) three sisters, adult women who are forced to cohabitate as their father is in hospice care. Director Azazel Jacobs put tributes to hospice nurses in the film, but other than that its largely about the three women's relationships with each other. And I loved how realistic it felt, especially in the way that family occasions tend to bring out honesty among relatives, for better or worse. 
Editor's note: This movie is getting alot of media buzz. I watched it and found the family's dynamics through their father's final days of actively dying to be spot-on. However--especially since "hospice" is core to the story--I was concerned about some basic communications and practices from the hospice nurse. Examples include discussions about calling 911, what to do when the death occurs, no sense of a larger hospice team or agency support (just these 2 nurses), an ICU-like monitor, and (yikes!) smoking inside a small apartment with the father's oxygen machine nearby. (Oh no!) Spoiler alert, hang-on through the dying scene and see it through a lens of the father's possible Near Death Awareness. I put these forth as you hear others talk about this as a "hospice" movie. Still, the family conflicts--specific to their father's dying--are indeed "relatable," authentic, and worth the watch.

Grief memoir: Diapers and hospice 
We Are The Mighty; by Jessica Hall; 9/25/24 
This is Chapter 8 in [Jessica Hall's] Grief Memoir. ... Following our trip to Disneyland, I was in the homestretch for my pregnancy. I was worried about what would happen when Dad went into the hospital again. What if it happened when I was in active labor? What if I was in a sleep-deprived haze with a newborn? How do I care for Dad when I’m far away and can’t travel? ... In the days before my planned induction, Dad was taken off intubation and was doing well enough. ... [Later in the story ...] I had given birth just two weeks before but I started to move quickly to go home. I started doing laundry so the baby and I could fly home to say goodbye to Dad. ...

Hispanic Americans and Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's Association; Resources; ongoing webpage, retrieved from the internet 9/25/24 
Approximately 13% of Hispanics who are 65 or older have Alzheimer's or another dementia. Learn what the Alzheimer's Association is doing to address health disparities and provide support for Hispanic community members living with Alzheimer's or another dementia. Quick Facts: ...

• While Hispanics are 1.5 times more likely to have dementia, more research is needed to understand why. 
• One-third of Hispanic Americans (33%) report that they have experienced discrimination when seeking health care.
• Almost 9 out of 10 Hispanics (85%) say it is important for Alzheimer’s and dementia care providers to understand their ethnic or racial background and experiences.
• Almost 6 in 10 (57%) believe that a significant loss of memory or cognitive abilities is a normal part of aging.

Editor's note: Use this information to honor the National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sep 15 - Oct 15.

NY home care agency pays $400K in racial prejudice lawsuit 
A home care agency in Brooklyn, NY, was ordered to pay $400,000 to settle a race and national origin discrimination lawsuit filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. ACARE HHC Inc., doing business as Four Seasons Licensed Home Health Care Agency, routinely assigned home health aides based on clients’ racial preferences, according to a consent order filed with the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. These workers, which included Black and Hispanic aides, would either be transferred to new client assignments based on clients’ wishes or lose their employment entirely, EEOC found. These practices were a violation of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employers from making job assignments based on workers’ race or national origin. Four Seasons will pay $400,000 in monetary relief for the home health aides affected, according to the consent order. It will also update its internal policies and training processes related to Civil Rights Act requirements, cease making home health aide assignments based on clients’ race or nationality preferences, and provide semi-annual reports to the EEOC regarding any reports or complaints surrounding race discrimination.

16 large health systems growing bigger 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Alan Condon; 9/20/24 
Merger and acquisition activity is rebounding after a drop in deal volume during the pandemic, with many large health systems growing their hospital portfolios or planning to add more hospitals in the coming quarters. Sixteen health systems growing bigger: ... This is not an exhaustive list.

1. Orlando (Fla.) Health plans to acquire Tenet's 70% majority ownership interest in Birmingham, Ala.-based Brookwood Baptist Health, which includes five hospitals: ...
2. Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Ascension to acquire nine of its hospitals in Illinois. They include: ...
3. Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health spent $2.4 billion to acquire three hospitals from Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare in February. They include: ...
4.  Nashville Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare is pursuing a deal to acquire Catholic Medical Center, a 330-bed regional system in Manchester, N.H. ...
5. Orange, Calif.-based UCI Health acquired four hospitals for $975 million from Tenet Healthcare's Pacific Coast Network in March. They include: ...
6. [Click on the title's link to continue reading the list]

Spending on home healthcare outpaces others for 4th consecutive month 
McKnights Senior Living; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 9/26/24 
Spending on home healthcare continued to outpace the rest of the sector in August, according to Altarum’s monthly Health Sector Economic Indicators brief, released Wednesday. “This is the fourth successive month in which we have observed such rapid growth. Year-over-year home healthcare spending growth for the four-month period from April through July was 19.7%,” George Miller, PhD, Altarum fellow and research team leader, told the McKnight’s Business Daily. Overall, healthcare costs were 2.7% higher last month than they were in August 2023 and 0.2% percent lower than they were in July, according to Altarum. ... Nursing and residential care employment, however, declined by 2,600 jobs in August. ...

The competitive physician recruitment market: 5 trends 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 9/24/24 
Both physician recruiting and compensation have become more competitive as market disruptors have entered the field, according to AMN Healthcare's "Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives," published Aug. 5 The report is based on a representative sample of 2,138 search engagements AMN Healthcare conducted from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. The data includes starting salary and other incentives offered to physicians and advanced practice professionals nationwide. ... Here are five trends in physician recruitment:

1. The reduction of healthcare access has led many organizations that did not traditionally recruit physicians or advanced practice providers to start recruiting. ...
2. In a 2023 AMN Healthcare’s Physician Solutions survey, 56% of residents said they had been contacted 100 or more times by recruiters with job offers. ..,
3. The physician recruiting market is "characterized not just by a dearth of candidates in many specialties, but by high turnover rates caused by physician burnout," the report said. ...
4. The physician workforce has reconsidered where, when and how they work. In response, employers have had to be flexible and competitive in attracting physicians while putting renewed focus on retention. ...
5. Physician compensation has also increased amid the heightened competition for talent. Average starting salaries for physicians are up year-over-year with increases seen in 13 of 20 specialties and decreases in only four specialties. ...

Celebrate patients’ creativity 
ehospice; by Fair Havens Hospice, United Kingdom; 9/23/24 
Fair Havens hospice recently held an inspiring art exhibition to showcase patients’ artwork produced during a range of wellbeing sessions. The exhibition at Fair Havens hospice in Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, showcased over 30 pieces of artwork, including acrylics and watercolours to embroidery and creative writing, all created by patients living with incurable illnesses. There was also the opportunity for people to get creative and take part in activities such as pebble painting and memory box decorating. The artwork on show had all been created by adults supported by the hospices’ Wellbeing Team through various creative therapy workshops and one-to-one sessions. ... Amongst some of the artwork were collages created in the ‘I AM’ workshop, which aimed to provide a space for patients to reflect on the things that are most important to them and express this using colour, textures, and words.

• Banner Health, based in Phoenix, AZ, named Mark Garvin, MBA as Senior Vice President for Partnership and New Venture Development

• City of Hope's new Chief of the Supportive Medicine is Dr. Adeboye Ogunseitan 
  
  
• Cornerstone Visiting Nurse Association, in New Hampshire, appointed Lisa Nichols as its new Hospice Care Director 
  
  
• Heart to Heart Hospice, based in Texas, tapped Dr. Michael Bond as its new Chief Medical Director and National Medical Director 
  
  
• HopeWest, based in Grand Junction, CO, welcomes Ruth Frazier, CFRE as the Chief Development Officer
  
  
• Hospice of the Foothills, based in California, has named Dr. Reed Dopf as its new Medical Director, following the retirement of his predecessor Dr. Rene Kronland, who served for 16 years 
  
  
• McLeoad Health in South Carolina and North Carolina named John Byrnes, MD, D.ABA as Chief Quality Officer and Senior Vice President of Quality and Safety
  
  
• Traditions Health, headquartered in Franklin, TN, appointed Tamera Venticinque-Black as its new Vice President of Sales for Hospice