Literature Review
Otterbein Universal Hospice expands services into Franklin and Licking counties
03/27/26 at 03:00 AMOtterbein Universal Hospice expands services into Franklin and Licking counties The Warren County Post, Lebanon, OH; by Beth Callahan; 3/17/26 Otterbein SeniorLife is pleased to announce the expansion of Otterbein Universal Hospice services into Franklin and Licking counties, extending its mission of compassionate, person-centered end‐of‐life care to more communities across the greater Columbus region. Otterbein Universal Hospice, part of the Otterbein SeniorLife organization, has a strong legacy of leadership in hospice care and is one of three Otterbein hospice agencies collectively serving 25 counties across Ohio.
‘No one is safe’ in CMS’ fraud fight
03/27/26 at 02:00 AM‘No one is safe’ in CMS’ fraud fight Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/25/26 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is casting a wide net in its anti-fraud efforts, and some legitimate providers are finding themselves on the hook. ... CMS has pledged to crack down hard on fraudulent hospices, but to date some of their efforts lack transparency and could represent a threat to honest providers, according to Andrew Brenton, attorney with Husch Blackwell. “With the wide net that CMS is casting, certainly, good hospices are being caught up in that,” Brenton said at the Hospice News ELEVATE conference. “I think no one is really safe, because a lot of this is a black box; the methodology by which CMS chooses which hospices to audit or otherwise target for enforcement is kind of unknown.”
Gone from my sight: Barbara Karnes on what happens in the final days of life | part one
03/26/26 at 03:00 AMGone from my sight: Barbara Karnes on what happens in the final days of life | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Barbara Karnes; 3/25/26 Drawing from over four decades of bedside experience, Barbara shares how Hospice Care began as a movement outside the traditional medical model, rooted not in treating disease, but in caring for people and their families during life’s most vulnerable moments. Her insights challenge modern healthcare to return to a more human-centered approach—one that prioritizes presence, education, and compassion.
End-of-life care planning for individuals with special needs
03/26/26 at 03:00 AMEnd-of-life care planning for individuals with special needsJD Supra; by Chamblis, Bahner & Stphel, P.C.; 3/23/26 Takeaways
Building excellence: The journey to American Heart Association Certification
03/26/26 at 03:00 AMBuilding excellence: The journey to American Heart Association Certification Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing; by Fahey, Donna M. MSN, MFA, RN, AHN-BC, CHPN, CNL; 3/24/26 Heart failure patients often arrive at hospice with advanced symptoms, variable care plans, and limited coordination across settings. To address this, Samaritan Healthcare and Hospice pursued the American Heart Association Palliative/Hospice–Heart Failure Certification. The initiative required a full system redesign focused on standardizing education, documentation, care coordination, and performance measurements. This article outlines the challenges encountered ... and describes the process used to achieve certification in October 2025.
HMN 2026: How Nursing’s moral agency cannot be outsourced to AI
03/26/26 at 03:00 AMHMN 2026: How Nursing’s moral agency cannot be outsourced to AI Health Medicine Network; by George Demiris, PhD, Patricia Brennan, PhD. Oonjee Oh, MSN, and Sang Bin You, MSN; 3/24/26 ... Recommendations for health systems: The article emphasizes that nurses must not be passive users of technology but active leaders in its design and implementation. To preserve the public’s trust, the authors offer several critical recommendations.
And they'll walk out to the bleachers ...
03/26/26 at 03:00 AM... And they'll walk out to the bleachers, and sit in shirt-sleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game, and it'll be as if they'd dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick, they'll have to brush them away from their faces. ~ from Field of Dreams, actor James Earl JonesCelebrating 2026's Opening Day of Baseball!
In fight against fraud, leading national organizations urge CMS to take action while protecting legitimate providers and patient access
03/26/26 at 03:00 AMIn fight against fraud, leading national organizations urge CMS to take action while protecting legitimate providers and patient access The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance); Press Release; 3/25/26The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance), LeadingAge, LeadingAge California, and the California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) in a March 25, 2026 letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), commend the agency’s actions to protect Medicare beneficiaries, preserve the integrity of the hospice and home health benefits, and root out bad actors who are exploiting the program and harming patients and families. At the same time, the associations emphasize the need for a carefully targeted federal response to protect current and prospective patients, and preserve access to care delivered by trustworthy providers.
CMS clarifies hospice revocations, face-to-face encounters
03/26/26 at 03:00 AMCMS clarifies hospice revocations, face-to-face encounters McKnights Home Care; by Suzy Frisch; 3/24/26 If a hospice patient is discharged from care or has their benefits revoked, they do not have to complete a waiting period to arrange for new care, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which provided such clarifications earlier this month. If a hospice patient is discharged from care or has their benefits revoked, they do not have to complete a waiting period to arrange for new care, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which provided such clarifications earlier this month.
Medicare Advantage ‘working’ for seniors, but not for taxpayers, experts say: Penn LDI panel cites costs for enrollees alongside billions in overpayments and systemic gaming
03/26/26 at 03:00 AMMedicare Advantage ‘working’ for seniors, but not for taxpayers, experts say: Penn LDI panel cites costs for enrollees alongside billions in overpayments and systemic gaming Penn LDI - Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics; by Hoag Levins; 3/23/26 In response to the question “Is Medicare Advantage Working?” posed in a University of Pennsylvania panel discussion, two top experts concurred that the program is “working” in one narrow but powerful sense: It delivers more appealing coverage to many seniors, especially those with modest incomes. But it is not “working” in the sense originally promised by policymakers, because it is not saving public money and has encouraged a range of payment distortions, coding games, marketing excesses, and utilization-management conflicts.
21 hospitals, health systems raising workers’ pay
03/26/26 at 03:00 AM21 hospitals, health systems raising workers’ payBecker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 3/24/26 Since December 2025, the following hospitals and health systems have said they plan to raise their workers’ pay. ... This webpage was created Jan. 9 and is updated regularly. It was last updated March 24.
Hospice of the Golden Isles received donation from Terry Thomas Foundation
03/26/26 at 03:00 AMHospice of the Golden Isles received donation from Terry Thomas Foundation The Brunswick News, Brunswick, GA; by Amy Broderick; 3/25/26 For more than a decade, the Terry Thomas Foundation has partnered with Hospice of the Golden Isles (HGI) to support important initiatives for the Hospice Home campus. During that time, the foundation has contributed more than $155,000 to help enhance care and services for hospice patients and their families. This year’s grant will enable HGI to purchase 12 new oxygen concentrators, meeting a vital need for high-quality, dependable oxygen support for patients receiving end-of-life care.
Medicare plan switching and hospice care among decedents with advanced cancer
03/26/26 at 03:00 AMMedicare plan switching and hospice care among decedents with advanced cancer JAMA Network Open; by Xin Hu, Changchuan Jiang, Youngmin Kwon, Fangli Geng, Qinjin Fan, Kewei Sylvia Shi, Zhiyuan Zheng, Jingxuan Zhao, Joan L Warren, K Robin Yabroff, Xuesong Han; 3/2/16Importance: Hospice ... is an excluded benefit under Medicare Advantage (MA), with coverage instead provided by traditional Medicare (TM). With growing MA penetration, more beneficiaries also switch between MA and TM for financial protection and physician access considerations, although less is known about how different Medicare programs and plan switching behaviors affect EOL care for patients with advanced cancers.Conclusions and relevance: In this cohort study of Medicare decedents with advanced cancers, continuous MA enrollees were most likely to receive hospice at home, while those who switched from MA to TM more frequently received hospice care in nursing homes. Plan switching near the EOL may reflect access barriers, highlighting the importance of addressing care coordination to improve EOL care.
NPHI calls on CMS to enact temporary nationwide moratorium on new hospice provider enrollments to stop fraudulent operators
03/26/26 at 02:00 AMNPHI calls on CMS to enact temporary nationwide moratorium on new hospice provider enrollments to stop fraudulent operators National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; Press Release; 3/25/26 The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), representing the nation’s leading nonprofit, mission-driven, safety-net, hospice and advanced illness care providers, is calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement a temporary, nationwide moratorium on new hospice provider enrollments in response to the continued growth of fraudulent providers exploiting the Medicare hospice benefit. In a letter sent today to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and Deputy Administrator Kimberly Brandt, NPHI outlines concerns regarding the unchecked expansion of fraudulent hospice providers and the impact on patients, families, and the integrity of the Medicare program.
Next Level Hospice Care receives Texas Medicaid hospice license and expands access to critical care services
03/25/26 at 03:00 AMNext Level Hospice Care receives Texas Medicaid hospice license and expands access to critical care services EIN Presswire, Houston, TX; by OAK Interactive; 3/24/26 Next Level Hospice Care is proud to announce that it has received contractual approval for a Texas Medicaid hospice license as a Home and Community Support Services Agency (HCSSA), effective February 4, 2026. This milestone approval was granted by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) following a rigorous and comprehensive review process.
Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can ...
03/25/26 at 03:00 AMYour mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds. ~ "Osho" / Rajneesh.
Important changes coming to National Government Services
03/25/26 at 03:00 AMImportant changes coming to National Government Services National Government Services; email; 3/24/26 National Government Services will begin operating as Wellpoint Federal on 4/1/2026. ... While we embrace the opportunities of the Wellpoint Federal name, this change does not impact our team structure, service levels, or the operating model that has earned your trust for the past 60 years. Beginning April 1, we will start adopting our new brand identity. During this transition, you may still see National Government Services referenced online or in existing printed materials.
AI is coming for admin jobs, CFOs say
03/25/26 at 03:00 AMAI is coming for admin jobs, CFOs sayBecker's Hospital Review; by Andrew Cass; 3/24/26 Artificial intelligence is expected to disproportionately affect routine, clerical and administrative roles, while having a limited near-term impact on overall employment, The Wall Street Journal reported March 24. The Journal cited findings from a working paper recently published on the National Bureau of Economic Research website. The study, produced with economists from the Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta and Richmond, surveyed about 750 CFOs across multiple industries between late 2025 and early 2026. Five things to know: ...
Mercy Hospice House reopens after five month hiatus
03/25/26 at 03:00 AMMercy Hospice House reopens after five month hiatus Durango Herald, Durango, CO; by Elizabeth Pond; 3/21/26 The Mercy Hospice House, an end of life care wing of Mercy Hospital, officially reopened this week after a five-month-long closure, according to a Monday news release by Mercy’s owner, CommonSpirit Health. The hospital wing temporarily closed because of a change in outpatient service ownership and a required licensing review, a CommonSpirit spokesperson told The Durango Herald in November. The facility transferred leadership of outpatient services to its national entity, CommonSpirit Health at Home, on a for-profit basis in October, with inpatient ownership remaining under its original regional leadership and nonprofit model.
CMS looks to kill the fax machine
03/25/26 at 03:00 AMCMS looks to kill the fax machine McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kimberly Marselas; 3/23/26 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is moving forward with a interoperability rule that aims to “eliminate” faxing and replace it with universal electronic healthcare claims and documentation exchanges by mid-2028. ... While it applies to all providers covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, including health plans, the new rule could strike fear among the many nursing homes still reliant on faxing or other manual communication methods for referrals and approvals.
It’s time to let stereotypes about older adults die
03/25/26 at 03:00 AMIt’s time to let stereotypes about older adults die McKnights Home Care; by Liza Berger; 3/6/26 They say there is strength in numbers. If that is true, the nation’s roughly 67 million baby boomers should not be afraid to speak up about how to talk to and refer to older adults. It’s time they did. I was reminded of this after reading a smart post by Anthony Cirillo, a caregiving expert. In the post, he talked about how people (younger ones primarily) casually make ageist comments without realizing the harm they cause. Cirillo gives the examples of a young adult referring to him as “Pops” and another asking him if he knows how to use an iPhone.Editor's Note: One of the worst memories for me about my dad's last week of life was the way a physical therapist spoke to my dad--our gentle, gentle-man-ly giant of a man in both character and stature. Fortunately, I was a strong advocate and asked him (in her presence), "Dad, am I saying it right?" Even in his vulnerable state, he voiced, "Yes. ... Yes." There was no apology. No follow-up. Years later, I invite you to pair these descriptions with our 2025 post, "Honey, Sweetie, Dearie: The perils of elderspeak."
3 potential policy options for high-acuity palliative services
03/25/26 at 03:00 AM3 potential policy options for high-acuity palliative services Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 3/24/26 The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is considering new policy options to expand access to high-acuity palliative services for hospice patients. The treatments under exploration include palliative radiation, chemotherapy, dialysis and blood transfusions. Though these treatments can aid in palliation, patients often do not receive them due to high costs and questions as to whether they fall within the scope of the Medicare Hospice Benefit. To identify potential approaches, MedPAC conducted a literature review, stakeholder interviews, site visits and data analyses.
Trauma-informed palliative care: A systematic scoping review of evidence sources describing concepts relevant to an emerging field of practice
03/25/26 at 03:00 AMTrauma-informed palliative care: A systematic scoping review of evidence sources describing concepts relevant to an emerging field of practice Palliative Medicine; by Rebecca Salama, Jane Simpson, Fiona J. R. Eccles, Maddy French; 3/23/26 Background: Trauma-informed palliative care aims to improve end-of-life experiences by recognising and responding to the presence of psychological trauma. While many practitioners support the approach, they also acknowledge the need to build a stronger evidence base.Results: ... the review identified a substantial body of evidence that describes concepts relevant to its approach. These findings provide a valuable starting point for future research.