Literature Review

Bridging access gaps in pediatric palliative care Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 4/10/26 ... Serious and terminally ill children can have a wide range of complex, unique needs along their illness trajectories, said Dr. Kimberly Curseen, the board president for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM). Building collaborations with community organizations is key to better understanding the gaps in care that exist across diverse and underserved pediatric patient populations, Curseen indicated.

Stakeholders fear ‘chilling effect’ of heightened hospice scrutiny McKnights Home Care; by Liza Berger; 4/9/26 Advocates and experts, by and large, are supportive of the federal government’s intense efforts to root out fraudulent hospice providers. But they are also concerned that the laserlike focus on fraud could have unintended consequences for high-quality providers. “We’re certainly hearing from members that they want to know whether policymakers and lawmakers truly see the value of hospice and that, yes, there are bad things going on in California and it’s getting a lot of publicity, but people are concerned that this could have a chilling effect,” Scott Levy, chief government affairs officer for the National Alliance for Care at Home, told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. “Hospices around the country at large are good people doing incredible work for meaningful periods of time for meaningful periods in their beneficiaries’ lives. And we want to make sure that that doesn’t go backwards.”

Frontpoint Health names new CEO Home Health Care News; by Morgan Gonzales; 4/12/26 Home health and hospice provider Frontpoint Health has undergone a leadership change, with Brent Korte stepping down as the company’s CEO. Taking over from Korte is Jay Wendt, who most recently served as CEO at the durable medical equipment (DME) company Stance Health Solutions. “I am thrilled to announce Jay Wendt to the Home Health and Hospice Industry,” Korte wrote in a LinkedIn post. “Jay is a Texan, who brings expertise in leading multi-site post-acute care organizations. ..." Backed by Cimarron Healthcare Capital and Tacoma Holdings, Dallas-based Frontpoint Health offers home health and hospice services across 176 counties in Texas.

Puzzle competition raises money to build hospice house KBTX-3, Bryan, TX; by Tyler Hoskins; 4/12/26  The Acara Hospice Foundation announced the winners of its inaugural Puzzling with a Purpose speed puzzling competition, a community fundraiser supporting the Foundation’s mission to build a community hospice house in the Brazos Valley. The event challenged teams of four to complete a 500-piece puzzle as quickly as possible. All proceeds from Puzzling with a Purpose go towards Acara Hospice Foundation’s vision of establishing a dedicated hospice house in the Brazos Valley that they said would provide dignified, compassionate care for patients and families. 

Oregon governor signs Ryan’s Law, requiring care facilities to allow medical marijuana The Marijuana Herald; by Anthony Martinelli; 4/10/26 Oregon’s governor has signed House Bill 4142, known as Ryan’s Law, establishing new requirements for certain care facilities to allow qualified patients to use medical marijuana while also setting statewide standards for safety, storage and staff training. The measure was approved by the House in a 39 to 3 vote and by the Senate 20 to 8 before being sent to the governor. With the governor’s signature, the legislation now moves toward implementation, with most provisions taking effect in 2027. 

Expanding access to palliative care for patients with advanced liver diseaseAAAS - EurekAlerts!, Philadelphia, PA; describes JAMA Internal Medicine at doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2026.0571; 4/13/26 A new multicenter trial led by Manisha Verma, MD, and Victor Navarro, MD, at Jefferson Einstein Philadelphi Hospital demonstrates a new approach that could potentially transform access to palliative care for patients with ALD and address a major care gap. In the PAL LIVER trial, a large cluster-randomized study conducted across 19 U.S. centers, researchers evaluated whether hepatologists trained in primary palliative care could match the effectiveness of palliative care specialists in delivering quality-of-life benefits to patients with ALD, including those with decompensated cirrhosis and liver cancer. With 935 patients enrolled, this is one of the largest trials to date in liver disease palliative care.

Art Dash draws crowd, raises funds for Oregon’s Serenity Hospice and Home Shaw Local News, Oregon, IL; Press Release4/10/26 The fifth annual Art Dash benefiting Serenity Hospice and Home was held April 8 at River’s Edge Experience, drawing more than 200 attendees for an evening of art, community, and philanthropy. ... Serenity CEO Suzanne Ravlin reflected on the event’s impact: “The Art Dash brings together art, community, and fundraising, but it has become much more. It is a celebration of generosity, connection, and the incredible impact we can make when we come together with purpose. Each piece of art tells a story – of humanity, love, struggle, beauty, and the moments that matter most. 

Oregon governor signs Hospice Licensure Bill (SB 1575)  LegiScan - Bringing People to the Process; by Oregon Senate Bill 1575; 4/7/26New law bars individuals excluded from Medicare/Medicaid or found liable for fraud from holding ownership interest in a hospice program. 

Attorney General Bonta dismantles Los Angeles hospice fraud ring responsible for $267 million in fraud, 21 charged Office of the Attorney General California Department of Justice - Rob Bonta, Los Angeles, CA; Press Release; 4/29/26 California Attorney General Rob Bonta, together with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), today announced charges filed against 21 suspects and the dismantling of a major hospice fraud scheme that defrauded California of $267 million. Operation Skip Trace resulted in the arrest of five people after ten different locations were searched in Southern California. In addition, two handguns and over $757,000 in cash were seized. “This isn’t a political game for us. This is about protecting taxpayer dollars, protecting the programs that sick and vulnerable Californians rely on, and protecting our state,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. 

Reminder: National Healthcare Decisions Day, April 16, 2026 Compilation by Hospice & Palliative Care Today; 4/10/26 National Healthcare Decisions Day (April 16, 2026) is a nationwide initiative that encourages individuals to reflect on and communicate their healthcare preferences—especially for times when they may not be able to speak for themselves. It promotes meaningful conversations, advance care planning, and the completion of documents like advance directives to ensure care aligns with what matters most. Multiple resources are below:

Connecting palliative care and age‑friendly care to support what matters most Institute for Healthcare Improvement; by Marian Grant; 4/8/26 ... The 4Ms Framework of an Age-Friendly Health System identifies the core subjects that should drive the care of older adults. The 4Ms (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility) align with the approach of palliative care teams and are part of their comprehensive assessment. Age-friendly leaders and team members can use the expertise of palliative care colleagues to implement the 4Ms. Editor's Note: Click here for a great graphic of this "4Ms Framework." It states, "For related work, this graphic may be used in its entirety without requesting permission. Graphic files and guidance at www.ihi.org/AgeFriendly.

State associations urge CMS to forgo potential national hospice enrollment moratorium Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 4/10/26 A group of state hospice associations have expressed mounting concerns that a rumored national moratorium prohibiting new provider enrollments could adversely affect access. A letter to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was recently penned by the Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association (FHPCA), the Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina (AHHC of NC) and the South Carolina Home Care & Hospice Association (SCHCHA). A national moratorium, if enacted, would impact the ability for legitimate hospices to provide quality care during a time of rising demand, said FHPCA President and CEO Paul Ledford and Tim Rogers, president and CEO of SCHCHA and AHHC of NC. 

Hospice groups: 2.4% proposed pay raise threatens care delivery Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/3/26 Two of the nation’s largest hospice trade organizations decried a proposed 2.4% hospice base rate increase as inadequate in today’s financial climate. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Thursday issued its proposed payment rule for hospices in 2027 containing a 2.4% payment increase. If finalized, this would result in a $785 million payment boost from Fiscal Year 2026. The amount of the proposed pay raise puts the sustainability of hospice care in jeopardy, according to Linda Couch, senior vice president for policy at LeadingAge.