Literature Review

CMS to test prior authorization model in traditional Medicare MedPageToday; by Joyce Frieden; 6/30/25 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new experimental model late last week to streamline some prior authorizations under the traditional Medicare program, but some politicians and experts are concerned that it could result in more delays in care. Under the model, known as the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model, "CMS will partner with companies specializing in enhanced technologies to test ways to provide an improved and expedited prior authorization process" under traditional Medicare, the agency said Friday [6/27] in a press release ...

Trump administration to end 988 suicide prevention specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth in JulyCNN; by Jacqueline Howard; 6/18/25The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth will no longer be in operation starting July 17, according to a statement from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). ... According to the latest data from SAMHSA, more than 14.5 million people have called, texted or sent chats to the 988 Lifeline and have been transferred to a crisis contact center since July 2022. Nearly 1.3 million of those were routed to the LGBTQ+ specialized service.Editor's Note: This 988 LGBTQ+ specialized option was piloted in September 2020, expanded on March 6, 2025, and rolled out fully nationwide in July 2023. This data translates to approximately 1,250 LGBTQ calls per day; 52 calls per hour; 1 call per minute. Who--in your world of family and friends--might this ultimately affect? Research, data, and personal stories (sure to be in each of our circles of family and friends) tell us why this matters. A resource for you to use is The Handbook of LGBTQIA-inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care, 2nd edition by Kimberly D. Acquaviva. This handbook is the first place winner, 2024 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award in Palliative Care and Hospice.

Provider payment incentives: Evidence from the U.S. hospice industry ScienceDirect - Journal of Public Public Economics; by Norma B. Coe and David A. Rosenkranz; online ahead of print for August 2025 (retrieved from the internet 7/1/25) Highlights

St. Joseph’s Center of Trumbull to permanently close Aug. 9 Westfair Business Journal, Trumbaull, CT; by Gary Larkin; 6/30/25The Town of Trumbull and the state Department of Labor (DOL) have reported they are trying to help the 179 employees laid off by St. Joseph’s Center after its parent company [Genesis Healthcare] announced it was closing the nursing home on Aug. 9. ... St. Joseph’s Center has been serving Trumbull for more than 50 years with an array of services such as: independent living, short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, and hospice services. 

[Canada] Hospice Northwest receives support to help unhoused people get palliative careCBC; by Sarah Law; 6/27/25Kimberley Ramsbottom, outreach program coordinator at Hospice Northwest, says it's important for everyone to have access to quality end-of-life services, no matter their personal circumstances. Accessing palliative care can be stressful for anyone, but for people experiencing homelessness, even getting to medical appointments can be an impossible barrier. The Palliative Advocacy Care Team (PACT) in Thunder Bay, Ont., works to address these challenges by connecting unhoused individuals who have life-limiting illnesses with essential services, such as food, transportation, communication methods and primary care... The $10,000 award will go directly to meeting clients' needs, from helping them find transportation, to getting a cellphone so their doctor can reach them about upcoming appointments.

The Alliance Responds to CY 2026 Home Health Proposed RuleNational Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 6/20/25The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement today in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate and Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies Competitive Bidding Program Updates proposed rule, which proposes payment and regulatory updates for Medicare home health agencies (HHAs). The proposed rule includes policies that would reduce payments to HHAs by over $1 billion dollars in 2026, at a time when providers also continue to experience unmatched inflationary pressure in a challenging labor market — making it difficult, if not impossible in some areas, to deliver care to Medicare beneficiaries entitled to receive it.

Students organize death café to discuss the inevitable Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT; by Brad Thomas; 6/27/25 The annual event gathered more than 50 students and faculty from assorted disciplines for meaningful conversations about death and dying. ... [Student Jillian O'Brien '25] helped organize the second annual Death Café during her final semester at Fairfield. She and her classmates in “End-of-Life Communication,” an interdisciplinary course taught by Michael Pagano, PhD, wished to build on the success of last year’s event by continuing to create a space for meaningful conversation about death and dying. At the event, they led thoughtful table discussions about how their perspectives and ways of communicating about death have evolved.

Translating suffering through sculptureAAHPM Quarterly; by Ronit Elk; 6/27/25... I began to sculpt with clay at 15, and it was when the clay was in my hands that I became truly at one with what I was creating. I translated the untold suffering I had witnessed reflected in the eyes of the African women, together with their resilience and “can’t do otherwise” attitude, into the sculptures. I didn’t plan these, they literally emerged. In some of my sculptures the pain in the eyes of the women is so clear that people who see them often look away. In this sculpture I hope you can see reflected both the suffering of the African women and their strength and resilience to take care of and provide for their families and communities.Publisher's note: This brief article is a heartfelt expression through the arts.

Mindfulness and tai chi improve mood in cancer survivors Medscape, reposted in AAHPM; ed. by Gargi Mukherjee; 6/25/25 Both Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) and Tai Chi/Qigong (TCQ) significantly improved mood in survivors of cancer, whether participants selected their preferred program or were randomly assigned to either type of program. MBCR had greater benefits in reducing tension and anger, while TCQ was particularly effective in reducing depression and boosting vigor.

6 healthcare layoffs in 1 weekBecker's Hospital Review; by Madeline Ashley; 6/26/25 Amid ongoing industry shifts, many hospitals and health systems are experiencing significant financial strain, prompting them to make difficult decisions such as laying off employees. Here are the six healthcare instances of layoffs that Becker’s has reported on since June 19:

Local scrap metal company collects cans to raise money for pediatric cancer patients in hospice[OK] FOX 23 News; 6/23/25A local scrap metal company is collecting cans to help raise money for pediatric cancer patients in hospice. In a Facebook post, Johnny's Junk & Scrap Metal Removal LLC asked people in Tulsa and surrounding areas to start saving their cans. "Tulsa and surrounding areas, start saving your cans!" the Facebook post said. "We are collecting and recycling cans for pediatric cancer patients who have entered hospice." Johnny's Junk and Scrap Metal Removal can collect the cans either daily, weekly or monthly, but they say they are doing it once a week for their current customers. Once the cans are collected and turned in, all the money goes directly to the family of the child.

New Day Healthcare acquires Dunes HospiceHospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/25/25The home health and hospice company New Day Healthcare has acquired Dunes Hospice in Indiana for an undisclosed amount. The deal marks New Day’s 16th acquisition to date, as well as its first entry into the Indiana market. The company plans to build density in that state by adding personal care services and skilled home health services to those markets. New Day now serves patients in six states... Just last week, Texas-based New Day inked an agreement to acquire New Mexico-based Heritage Home Healthcare LLC.