Literature Review

Hundreds including Iowans implicated in $6.5B health care fraud schemes Ames Tribune, Des Moines, IO; by Natalie Neysa Alund and William Morris, USA TODAY; 6/25/26 Hundreds of people and organizations, including several in Iowa, have been charged in connection with global health care fraud schemes totaling a record $6.5 billion, the U.S. Department of Justice says. ... Three of the cases were in Iowa. The largest involves Mercy Health Network, Genesis Health System and Trinity Health Corp., which operate the MercyOne Genesis system based in Davenport. According to the news release, the partners self-reported overuse and overbilling for a specialty heart pump from 2016 to 2022, and agreed to pay more than $4.6 million to the government. ... And prosecutors are criminally charging Jacob Hughes of Cedar Rapids and Hughes Home Care, which did business as Synergy Homecare.

HPCC Announces APHSW-C® AccreditationHospice & Palliative Credentialing Center; Press Release; 6/25/26On June 10, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) granted accreditation to the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) for demonstrating compliance with the NCCA Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs for its Advanced Palliative Hospice Social Worker–Certified (APHSW-C®) program. NCCA sets the national benchmark for high-quality voluntary certification programs across diverse industries. This accreditation affirms that the program has successfully met the stringent standards required for accreditation and is regarded as a trustworthy, vetted credential program. The APHSW-C® program, which has 843 active certificants, is designed for experienced hospice and -palliative social workers. The APHSW-C® examination consists of 150 multiple-choice items, and individuals must meet a set of requirements to be eligible to sit for the exam. Testing windows are available in March, June, September, and December of each year. 

A day in the life of a Mayo Clinic medical ethicist Healthcare Brew; by Cassie McGrath; 6/24/26 How should doctors handle end-of-life care or use new medical innovations like genetic technologies? How can they ensure they’re fairly and equally providing healthcare? How can providers build trust with patients? These are just a few of the big questions medical ethicists study and advise on. Richard Sharp, a professor of biomedical ethics at Rochester, Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic, is one of these professionals. For decades, he has been a bridge between patients and providers as well as advocates and innovators to ensure medical practices are safe and fair.

asdfasdfa

Flourishing within vulnerability: on human fragility and the conditions for a habitable environment Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics; by Irene Quiliconi; 6/24/26 In recent philosophical discourse, "flourishing" has emerged as a concept of growing importance—often linked to the field of well-being studies and explored by various and different disciplines. The article approaches flourishing not as an abstract ideal, but rather as a condition that must be understood as rooted in the lived reality of human vulnerability. More specifically, I argue that any genuine account of human flourishing must regard vulnerability— human inherent fragility and reciprocal dependence—not as an impediment, but as the very foundation from which meaningful flourishing can arise. 

Adams County Community Foundation supports Hospice of Hope patient care initiative The Highland County Press, Hillsboro, OH; by John Condon; 6/24/26 The Adams County Community Foundation has awarded a grant to Hospice of Hope to support a special patient-centered initiative designed to provide comfort, dignity and meaningful personal connections for hospice patients and their families. The grant will help fund the creation of personalized “All About Me” boards that will be developed and decorated by Hospice of Hope volunteers for patients receiving hospice care. Each board will highlight important aspects of the patient’s life, including their personal story, favorite things, family memories, and what matters most to them. ... In addition to serving as a communication and memory-sharing tool during hospice care, the boards will remain with families as keepsakes and reminders of their loved one’s life and experiences.

HCS home care/hospice salary & benefits studies underway American Health Care Association; by LIsa Hohenemser; 6/23/26 Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service (HCS) has announced the 2026 Home Care and Hospice Salary & Benefits studies are now underway with the deadline of August 10th. The Reports are recognized as the authoritative source for comprehensive marketplace data for home health + hospice agencies. Last year’s Home Care Report contained data from 1,111 home health agencies. The Hospice Report had data from 1,091 hospice agencies. Both studies include questions on staffing issues, nursing turnover/vacancy rates, and sign-on bonuses used by agencies to attract new employees.  ... Directions to Participate in the HCS Home Care or Hospice Salary & Benefits Study: ...

Senators Hassan, Scott introduce bipartisan bill to establish www.ReportScams.Gov, first central portal for Americans to report scams and get help Maggie Hassan, US Senator for New Hampshire, Washington, DC; Press Release; 6/15/26 U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation to establish the first central portal for Americans to report scams and get the help they need from law enforcement and federal agencies. The ReportScams.gov Act will establish a comprehensive Federal Scams Action Plan and create a website – www.ReportScams.gov – to serve as a central location for federal scams reporting, information, and assistance. “Today, with no central hub to combat scams, Americans are forced to navigate a maze of agencies and websites when they want to report a scam and get help. ...” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan bill will establish a comprehensive, unified plan to thwart scammers and provide consumers with one clear user-friendly portal where they can report scams and alert law enforcement.”

Federal investigation into Medicare fraud snares Corona man Patch, Los Angeles, CA; by Toni McAllister; 6/23/26 Abraham Shin, 66, and two other people are charged in a 16-count indictment alleging they conspired to defraud Medicare out of $27 million. ...  According to the indictment, from February 2021 to March 2026, Oren David Shachar, 59, of Van Nuys — who owned and operated at least four hospice care companies — conspired with marketers Shin, and Jeannie Choi, 57, of Torrance. As part of the alleged fraudulent operation, claims for hospice services were submitted to Medicare that were medically unnecessary because the beneficiaries were not terminally ill, or the services were not provided because the beneficiaries were already dead, according to the indictment.

Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice receives $5,000 grant from First Hope Bank Pike County Courier, Newton, NJ; 6/23/26 Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice has received a $5,000 grant from First Hope Bank, supporting the organization’s continued mission to provide compassionate, high‑quality hospice care to the community. ... The grant is part of First Hope Bank’s initiative to recognize and support qualifying small businesses, farms, and nonprofit organizations that have experienced economic challenges and supply‑chain constraints. This investment reflects the bank’s commitment to strengthening local organizations that make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.

asdfasdfa

A smarter approach to fraud means better care at home The Hill | Opinion; by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) and Jennifer Sheets; 6/23/26 .. Home health and hospice providers meet people where they are — both physically and through wraparound support — caring for them in their homes at the end of life or during critical healing and recovery periods when trust is paramount. ... Fraudulent operators do not simply steal taxpayer dollars; they harm real people, exploit vulnerable individuals, undermine legitimate providers, and erode confidence in critical healthcare services that families depend on every day. Combatting fraud, waste and abuse in healthcare must remain a national priority. That is why I am glad to partner with the National Alliance for Care at Home on the Protecting Seniors and Stopping Fraudsters Act, designed to strengthen program integrity in home health and hospice while protecting access to care for patients who depend on these services, and reducing burden for legitimate providers.