Literature Review

Hospice Insights Podcast - high risk hospices are in the hot seat across six states JD Supra; podcast by Husch Blackwell, LLP; 4/15/26 Since September 2024, CMS’s Medicare Administrative Contractors have been conducting expanded prepayment reviews (also known as “EPRs” or targeted high-risk reviews) of existing hospice providers in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas. As of December 2025, hospices in Georgia and Ohio are also under the microscope. In this episode, Husch Blackwell attorneys Bryan Nowicki and Zaina Niles discuss how hospices can differentiate between EPRs and other audit types. You’ll also learn what to expect throughout the EPR process and strategies to overcome claim denials and other possible EPR consequences.

St. Croix Hospice CCO: transparency, compliance fosters growthHospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/15/26Tami Johnson-White is the newly appointed chief compliance officer for St. Croix Hospice. Johnson-White brings 30 years of health care leadership experience to St. Croix Hospice. St. Croix Hospice operates more than 85 locations across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Hospice News sat down with Johnson-White to talk about her priorities as she comes into her new role, the top compliance issues facing hospices today and how they can prepare for audits.

Executive Personnel Changes - 4/17/26

Sovereign Hospice: addressing late-stage renal condition care gaps in Fort Worth MyCarrollCountyNews.com, Dallas, TX; by Sovereign Hospice; 4/16/26 End-stage kidney disease affects hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. When kidneys can no longer sustain life without dialysis or a transplant, families are left to make decisions that few feel prepared for. Sovereign Hospice ... is drawing attention to a gap many families face: not knowing that hospice care services exist as a legitimate, fully supported option at this stage of illness. ... For patients with end-stage kidney disease, the shift away from aggressive treatment means that symptom management becomes the priority. Common symptoms at this stage include fatigue, pain, restlessness, and fluid retention. The interdisciplinary team is trained to address all of these through individualized care plans.

Hundreds of hospice providers suspended in Los Angeles over $600 million in suspected fraud Washington Examiner; by Mia Cathell; 4/15/26 Vice President JD Vance's anti-fraud task force has suspended hundreds of hospices suspected of fraudulently billing for end-of-life services in Los Angeles, an area identified by both state and federal authorities as a hospice fraud hot spot. The newly appointed White House task force, headed by Vance, issued suspensions this week against 447 hospices and 23 home health agencies operating out of Los Angeles, pausing payments to providers believed to have defrauded federal healthcare programs out of more than $600 million.

Hospice fraud: the $530m surge and the new era of “zero tolerance”Lund Person & Associates Hospice Consulting; by Judi Lund Person; 4/16/26 The landscape for hospice care in the United States has shifted dramatically. As of April 15, 2026, federal and state enforcement data signals a pivotal moment: the “light-touch” era is officially over. With over $530 million in alleged losses tracked in the last 12 months, providers are now under the most intense scrutiny in the history of the Medicare hospice benefit.

Owatonna, Mankato Hospice Supplement Program & caregiver jobs plan launched Marketers Media / NewsNetwork, Owatonna, MN; Press Release; 4/14/26 Freedom Home Care, LLC, in southern Minnesota, announced the update and expansion of its Hospice Care Supplement Program. ... It delivers 24/7 supplemental care, including overnight and live-in options, to cover times when family members or hospice teams are unavailable. Services go beyond medical support to include household assistance such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, companionship, supervision, assistance with transfers and repositioning, and personalized one-on-one attention—ensuring patients are never alone while families can rest, focus on quality time, and avoid burnout. More information at: https://freedomhomecarellc.com/services/hospice-care/

Strategies to promote the dissemination of psychosocial digital health resources for those affected by cancer: scoping review Supportive Care in Cancer; by Isabel Ronan and Olinda Santin; 4/15/26 Conclusion: This paper presents the first review consolidating research on psychosocial digital resource dissemination targeting those affected by cancer. ... When considering the dissemination of an online resource in the future, researchers should focus on creating co-designed digital interventions for caregivers and targeting more diverse populations using both traditional and digital dissemination materials.

Nonprofit granted property tax exemption SWVA Today / Richlands News-Press, Richlands, VA; by Jim Talbert; 4/13/26 Legacy Hospice and Palliative Care will not pay property taxes, the Board of Supervisors unanimously decided following a public hearing at its Apr. 7 meeting. Several citizens spoke in support of the move, which will save the organization about $7,094 annually. ... A nonprofit serving the counties of Tazewell, Bland, Dickenson, Buchanan, and Russell, Legacy [Viriginia] was granted a tax exemption for its recently acquired property in Cedar Bluff on the basis of providing a "benevolent service" to Tazewell County. Previously, Legacy had rented a building. At the meeting, citizens provided personal testimonies of their experiences with Legacy. 

Carve-in or carve-out? The future of hospice under Medicare Advantage | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Robin Hefferman; 4/15/26In Part One of this thought-provoking conversation, Chris Comeaux and Robin Heffernan, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of Empassion, explore the evolving intersection of private equity, artificial intelligence, and end-of-life care—raising critical questions about accountability, quality, and the future of hospice under Medicare Advantage. As the healthcare system shifts toward value-based models, the discussion challenges long-held assumptions about whether hospice should remain “carved out” or be fully integrated into payer responsibility.

The room where my father died changed how I see architecture Time; by Michael P. Murphy; 4/15/26 ... Life had taught me that architecture was the business of making and designing structures. But my father showed me that architecture is brought to life through the stories we tell ourselves, and in the memories of the consequential acts that take place in and around the buildings we share. In this way, architecture becomes more verb than noun as it shapes us. It is a living thing. Maybe this is why my mother later said, all things considered, that my father had “built a beautiful death.” He had also built a beautiful life.

Caring for the community wins at Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Bubbles & Bingo Hospice of the Chesapeake, Pasadena, MD; Press Release; 4/15/26 An evening filled with celebration, generosity and heartfelt stories resulted in nearly $300,000 raised for Hospice of the Chesapeake during its second Bubbles & Bingo fundraiser. Held Friday night at the Fluegel Alumni Center in Annapolis, the black-tie event brought together supporters from across the four counties served by the organization. ... A moving highlight of the evening was a video tribute to patient Brian Adam, shared by his wife, daughter and nephew. ... The evening shifted to a lively series of bingo games, where seven guests won prize packages valued between $1,600 and $6,500.

Owner opened restaurant on day off to fulfill dying man's last wish to feed hospice nurses who cared for him People; by Erin Clack; 4/11/26 "To me, it means the world to see that kindness, that greatness spread," the dying man's brother said of the restaurant owner.  Tommy Milani didn't hesitate to step up and help when he received a request from a grieving family. Before his death, Frank Ozimek — who spent six weeks at Niagara Hospice in Lockport, N.Y., bonding with and being cared for by the dedicated staff there — asked his younger brother, Ken Ozimek, to make sure the nurses were treated to a meal on Easter Sunday, per local outlet WKBW.