Literature Review

Fridays are made for catching your breath, expanding your wings, and showing the Universe what you're made of. ~ Anonymous

Payers push into home health: 5 things to know Becker's Payer Issues; by Rylee Wilson; 11/4/24 Payers are expanding their reach into home healthcare. In October, Elevance Health said it plans to acquire CareBridge, a Nashville-based home and community care provider. Elevance will pay $2.7 billion for the company, according to the Nashville Business Journal. Elevance CEO Gail Boudreaux told investors on an Oct. 17 call the acquisition will serve as the foundation for Carelon's home health business. Here are five more things to know about payers' ventures into home health:

Veterans Day 2024 Events (parades, celebrations, concerts) – listed by state VeteranOwnedBusiness.com; retrieved from the internet 11/6/24Here is a list of events being held in each state (also virtual) for Veterans Day 2024. Some of these events (parades, speeches, tributes and more) take place before, on and after Veterans Day (Monday, November 11, 2024).Editor's note: Veterans Day is Monday, November 11th. What are you doing for the patients you serve who are veterans? For your employees and volunteers who are veterans? For hospice-specific resources, click here for NHPCO/The Alliance's "News and Information from We Honor Veterans." For more generic location-specific event and resources click here for this list (by state) of Veterans Weekend events in your area.  

Arden Home Health and Hospice partners with ADP to formally announce opening of Hattiesburg offices Accesswire; by Arden Home Health & Hospice; 11/4/24 Arden Home Health and Hospice is excited to announce the formal opening of its new corporate headquarters in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This marks a key milestone in the company's growth and success. The celebration, held on Friday, November 1, 2024, featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony in partnership with the Area Development Partnership (ADP). Under the leadership of Founder and CEO Abb Payne, Arden has experienced tremendous growth, having doubled the size of its workforce in just 11 short months. Payne emphasized the importance of this expansion, particularly for South Mississippi: "The opening of our Hattiesburg headquarters is more than just a brick-and-mortar event; it symbolizes a year of incredible growth and success. Our family's goal has always been to keep jobs in South Mississippi, and this new office represents our commitment to this region."

UP Health System Hospice coming to Dickinson County The Daily News, Iron Mountain, MI; 11/5/24U.P. Health System Hospice will begin bringing its hospice care to Dickinson County. UPHS’s goal is to improve the quality of life for patients and their families by providing compassionate and comprehensive care during the final stages of life. U.P. Health System Hospice has made it the mission of its agency to change end of life care in the U.P. and its most rural communities by bringing awareness to hospice services, advocating for patient rights, and working hand-in-hand with the medical community to help more people receive support in their health care. 

Rabbi Benjamin Shalva brings comfort, music to hospice patients Baltimore Jewish Times; by Ellen Braunstein; 11/6/24 Jewish songs and prayers offer comfort to individuals nearing the end of their lives and their grieving families. That’s just one of the impromptu services offered by Rabbi Benjamin Shalva, a Jewish musician and chaplain at Gilchrist Hospice Care in Baltimore. He oversees the care and support for Jewish patients and families who come into hospice through Gilchrist, a nonprofit provider of serious illness and end-of-life care. He also manages rabbinic services. “We help guide families and patients on how to approach the end of life in a meaningful and Jewish way,” said Shalva, who joined Gilchrist two and a half years ago.  The 48-year-old Pikesville resident said he brings a guitar and the practice of meditation and mindfulness to patients and families. “It really provides a sphere of comfort and healing in a space that might otherwise be very difficult for folks,” Shalva said. 

Early palliative care may curb aggressive end-of-life care Medscape; by Marilynn Larkin; 11/6/24 Increasing the uptake of palliative care may decrease the aggressiveness of end-of-life care, an analysis of ovarian cancer decedents suggested. Palliative care initiated earlier than 3 months before death was associated with lower rates of emergency department (ED) visits, hospital admissions, and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in the last 3 months of life. It was also associated with a lower rate of death in the hospital. “When patients with advanced or incurable cancers experience aggressive end-of-life care, spending their final weeks of life in and out of the ED or admitted to acute care hospital wards or the ICU, where they undergo invasive tests or procedures that may not meaningfully prolong life or address symptoms or suffering, this can be very distressing for patients and their caregivers,” lead author Sarah J. Mah, MD, of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, told Medscape Medical News.

Addus leaders dive further into Gentiva deal, ‘historically low’ turnover rates Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 11/5/24 Completing the acquisition of Gentiva’s personal care operations is still top of mind at Addus HomeCare Corp. (Nasdaq: ADUS). The $350 million transaction was first announced in June. Addus Chairman and CEO Dirk Allison explained how he believes the deal will better position the company for the impacts of the “Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services” rule. “We believe our personal care segment benefits from both scale and broad geographic coverage in the states where we operate,” Allison said Tuesday during the company’s third-quarter earnings call. ..."

Statement from NPHI on US election results National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI); Press Release; 11/6/24On November 6th, the Associated Press declared that Donald Trump is the new president-elect of the United States. In response to this news, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) issued the following statement from Tom Koutsoumpas, our CEO: "Following the election of President-Elect Donald Trump, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) reiterates its dedication to advocating for high-quality, compassionate care for all patients and families facing serious illness. NPHI looks forward to collaborating with the incoming administration and new Congress to address critical needs in healthcare policy, expand support for advanced illness care, and work toward a stronger healthcare future for patients, families, and caregivers alike. ... [Click here to read the full statement.] ... At NPHI, we are committed to ensuring that every American has access to dignified, high-quality care. We will work with the new administration to protect and enhance the Medicare hospice benefit, expand access to high-quality care at home, and advance policy solutions that center on patient needs and community well-being."

Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective Payment System Final Rule Fact Sheet (CMS-1803-F) CMS Newsroom; Final Rule Fact Sheet (CMS-1803-F); 11/1/24On November 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) final rule, which updates Medicare payment policies and rates for Home Health Agencies (HHAs). This rule also updates the intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) items and services’ payment rate for CY 2025 for Durable Medical Equipment (DME) suppliers. As described further below, CMS estimates that Medicare payments to HHAs in CY 2025 would increase in the aggregate by 0.5%, or $85 million, compared to CY 2024. [Click on the title's link for more information.]

Chicago Pacific Founders sells 20 communities valued at $725 million to Ventas McKnights Senior Living; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 11/1/24 Chicago Pacific Founders sold 20 senior living communities to real estate investment trust Ventas this week, the healthcare investment firm announced Thursday [10/31]. The properties are valued at $725 million, “representing one of the most significant senior housing portfolio sales in the United States for 2024,” according to CPF. “Senior living is a core investment strategy and one we continue to grow by purchasing and establishing new institutional-quality communities, and this sale demonstrates the strength and attractiveness of this asset class,” CPF founder and Managing Partner Mary Tolan said. The 20-property portfolio includes independent living, assisted living and memory care communities located in what CPF called “strategic markets known for strong and growing demand for senior living.”

Why home health deserts are spreading across rural states Modern Healthcare; by Diane Eastabrook; 11/1/24 Home health deserts are increasing at an alarming rate across some rural states as home health companies close or reduce services due to financial challenges. Home health companies in Maine, Nebraska and Minnesota say a proposed Medicare rate cut, low Medicare Advantage reimbursements and workforce shortages are forcing them to make difficult business decisions — leaving many communities with limited access or no access to post-acute care in the home. ...  Approximately 800 home health providers have closed over the past five years, according to the National Alliance for Care at Home, a trade group that represents the industry. Alliance CEO Dr. Steve Landers mostly blames a Medicare home health payment model that went into effect in 2020 for reducing Medicare reimbursements and causing financial stress for providers. “While closures are significant, we are also getting reports that providers are restricting the territory they serve as a first step to addressing their financial stresses,” Landers said in an email. “This appears to be especially concerning in rural areas where no other provider is available to step in.”

Three local eateries join Dining Out program for Hospice Awareness Month Olean Times Herald, Allegany, NY; by Olean Times Herald Staff; 11/4/24 HomeCare & Hospice announces its Dining Out for Hospice program this month includes three local restaurants joining the effort to support compassionate end-of-life care in the region. Throughout Hospice Awareness Month, patrons at Hometown Bar & Grill, Chipotle and Charlie’s can enjoy a great meal and make a meaningful difference by contributing to HomeCare & Hospice. “We’re excited to team up with these wonderful restaurants to bring our community together for a week of giving,” said Melissa Sullivan, HomeCare & Hospice CEO. “Dine out, enjoy great food and have an opportunity to support families in need — one meal at a time.”