Literature Review

Building empathy for dementia patients The Vindicator; by Susan Wojnar; 4/24/26 As dementia rates continue to climb across Ohio — particularly in the Mahoning Valley — a new hands-on training is helping caregivers and community members better understand what it’s like to live with the condition. ... Mahoning County ranks fourth in the state for the highest percentage of seniors living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Approximately 6,000 residents age 65 and older — about 12.1% of that population — are affected. ... In response to the growing need for caregiver support and education, Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice has introduced a new training program called Dementia Live. ...

Palliative care loss hits Durango patients The Durango Herald, Durango, CO | Letters to the Editor; by Stacey Ebel; 4/24/26 My emotions are running high after learning about CommonSpirit Mercy Hospital discontinuing their palliative care program. ... My mother moved here in 2020 with numerous health issues, and I enrolled her in palliative care as I knew that at some point she would need to transition to hospice. Her palliative care nurse practitioner, Jen, visited my mother monthly in her apartment ...  Potential and past patients will now have to go to the ER or their personal PCPs for treatment. Recently, the last palliative care nurse had to discharge 200 patients. 

A father's dying wish comes true at special graduation ceremony YouTube | ABC WNEP-16, by Michelle Charlesworth; 4/23/26 It's one of his last wishes, to see son Cooper Crawford graduate from Northwest area high school. It's one wish that came true Wednesday night. "I think it was really cool that we have a community that size that can come together to support my father and my family. ... I wish I could be half the man my dad is." ... The school district put together this ceremony for Cooper a little over a month before his graduation date. ...  Cooper's older sister gave a speech. His younger siblings were given honorary diplomas so that their dad could be there. Jess's mother, "I'm realizing the finality of what's happening." Editor's Note: Against the backdrop of hospice fraud headlines, this story reflects what hospice care can hold at its best—a father’s wish honored, a community leaning in, a moment this family will carry forward. May it inspire us all to create space for what matters, when it matters most.

CMS educational video: Hospice levels of care and how to bill for service intensity add-on (SIA) payments CMSHHSgov YouTube and CMS MLN Connects Newsletter; posted on CMS's YouTube channel 4/17/26, posted in CMS MLN Connects Newsletter 4/23/26 This video is intended to educate hospices on a service opportunity called a service intensity add-on payment. Hospice agencies are paid a daily rate for each patient enrolled in hospice regardless of the number of services provided on a given day, including days when hospice provides no services. Hospice benefits allow hospices to bill an additional payment on an hourly basis for registered nurse and social worker visits during the last seven days of a patient’s life in addition to their standard daily reimbursement.

AAHPM Hospice Statement approved by the Executive Committee on April 17, 2026 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; Press Release; 4/17/26 The AAHPM Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, in close coordination with Academy staff and trusted stakeholder partners, has been actively monitoring and discussing recent events and actions, including those by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as well as Congressional hearings related to hospice fraud. ... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should target fraudulent hospices. We have provided guidance to CMS on our recommendations to do so with precision, including but not limited to identifying red flags such as those below, which should be applied with clinical context and should not be applied mechanically to penalize providers serving complex patient populations. [Continue reading]

Future-proofing care: the challenges we face in hospice and palliative care | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner; 4/22/26In this special reverse-role episode, Chris Comeaux steps into the guest seat as Cordt Kassner leads a deep dive into one of the most comprehensive strategic frameworks developed for hospice and palliative care organizations which was developed by TCN and it’s members. In Part One of this forward-looking series, Chris unpacks the foundational challenges shaping the future of hospice and palliative care.  Drawing from nearly a decade of strategic research and collaboration with healthcare leaders, he introduces a powerful framework built around eight core challenges that every organization must navigate. From intensifying competition to shifting reimbursement models, this conversation equips leaders with a clearer lens to anticipate disruption and respond with intention.

Hosparus Health names Becky Tooker as President Hosparus Health, Louisville, KY; Press Release; 4/20/2026 Hosparus Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of hospice and serious illness care, has named Becky Tooker as President, effective April 6. Tooker brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in hospice, home health and post-acute care and a strong commitment to patient-centered care. Most recently Tooker served in a senior leadership role with St. Croix Hospice, where she oversees statewide operations including clinical quality, regulatory compliance and performance improvement. ... David W. Cook, CEO of Hosparus Health, said he looks forward to partnering with Tooker as the organization continues expanding services for patients and families across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

National Alliance for Care at Home | Strategic Plan (2026-2029)National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release / email; 4/20/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home has finalized its Strategic Plan for 2026–2029. This plan is the result of deep reflection on the challenges facing care at home providers today, the opportunities we believe are ahead, and the role the Alliance must play to help you navigate both. It is organized around four commitments:

Google.org and Johnson & Johnson Foundation launch $10 million AI training program for rural U.S. healthcare workers Complete AI Training; Press Release; 4/14/26 Google.org and the Johnson & Johnson Foundation are launching a $10 million program to train rural U.S. healthcare workers to use AI tools for administrative tasks. The initiative targets operational efficiency in clinics facing chronic staffing shortages and administrative overload. ... According to the National Rural Health Association, over 130 rural hospitals have shut down since 2010, with administrative burden cited as a major factor. The new program addresses this directly by teaching healthcare workers to use AI for scheduling, patient documentation, and clinic operations. 

Hospices to face increased scrutiny under new scoring system Harris Beach Murtha Attorneys at Law; by Glenn M. Jones and Roy W. Breitenbach; 4/15/26 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans a new hospice scoring system in fiscal year 2027 . ... CMS announced the service and spending variation index (SSVI) is part of its ongoing efforts to combat fraud and strengthen program integrity. CMS said the system will increase transparency for families, ensure proper care, protect beneficiaries and support providers delivering quality end-of-life care. Details of the proposed rule can be found on the Federal Register. The agency has also published a fact sheet on the proposed rule. The SSVI score will be based on a variety of metrics CMS gathers from hospice claims, including:

I understand the need to be a responsible adult... But every day? Every single day? ~Unknown

U.S. House Committee on Ways & Means - Full committee hearing on protecting patients and taxpayers: cracking down on Medicare fraud United State House Committee on Ways & Means, Chairman Jason Smith; content below is from the US House Committee Ways & Means website, with descriptions (below) by Judi Lund Person; 4/21/26 The House Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by Jason Smith (MO-08), held a hearing today [4/21] examining the prevalence of fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare and efforts to combat fraud to protect patients and taxpayers. Readers have the opportunity to watch the full committee hearing on YouTube. Links are provided below.