Literature Review

California AG Bonta charges 7 in Monterey County over hospice fraud scheme totaling $3.2m KSBW 9 Action News, Monterery, CA; by Ricardo Tovar; 2/6/26 California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that arrests have been made and felony charges filed against seven people in connection with an alleged hospice fraud scheme filed in Monterey County. The total loss to Medi-Cal and Medicare is estimated to be $3,211,419.79, according to Bonta's office. The complaint alleges that the conduct occurred from approximately April 1, 2016, through June 1, 2024 — a period of roughly 8 years and 2 months.

Longmont restaurant owner hits the road to make hospital patient's wish come true NBC 9 News, Longmont, CO; by Colton Chavez; 2/6/26 A Longmont restaurant owner is driving to Montana this weekend to personally deliver baked potatoes to a patient who listed visiting his establishment as one of their wishes. Eddy Ellson, owner of Big Bear Baked Potatoes, received a message through his restaurant's website from a hospice nurse in Montana asking if he could share his recipe or send food to a patient named Kristle, who wanted to visit his restaurant but was too ill to make the trip. "One of her last wishes she asked the nurse to take her to Denver because she wanted to go to Big Bear Baked Potatoes," Ellson said. Instead of sending a recipe, Ellson decided to make the journey himself. He plans to cook for Kristle, her family, and her nurses on Super Bowl Sunday, when his restaurant is normally closed.

Forefront Living Hospice agreed to pay $1.9 million for allegedly violating the Civil Monetary Penalties Law by submitting claims for services that identified the incorrect provider or were performed by non-enrolled or incorrect providers HHS-OIG, U.S. Government; 1/30/26 After it self-disclosed conduct to OIG, Forefront Living Hospice d/b/a Faith Presbyterian Hospice and d/b/a T. Bonne Pickens Hospice and Palliative Care Center (Forefront), Dallas, Texas, agreed to Pay $1,959,718.74 for allegedly violating the Civil Monetary Penalties Law. OIG alleged that Forefront billed for: (1) hospice services provided by "attending physicians" who were nurse practitioners, but billed as if they had been performed by physicians; and (2) "attending physician" services performed by an attending physician who was not the physician chosen by the patient or where the provider was not properly enrolled in Medicare.

What hospice leaders need to know about H.R.7148 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress | signed by the President, 2/3/26Congress.gov; content below gleaned by Judi Lund Person, Guest Editor

Experiences and knowledge of family caregivers providing end of life care to older adults at home American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Delaney E. Knutson, BSN and Barbara St Marie, PhD, AGPCNP, FAANP, FAAN; 1/28/26 Conclusion: This scoping review highlighted the need for increased information for family caregivers regarding end-of-life care to reduce the challenges and burden for families caring for their older adult at home at end-of-life. Areas for improvement include increased support from family and friends, caregiver respite, increased education about caregiving, and improved communication between hospice programs and home caregivers. 

How ‘rest’ became the biggest four-letter word in healthcareMedscape; by Eric Spitznagel; 1/30/26As a resident at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut, he did his best to get enough of it, which wasn’t often. Even when he managed a full night’s sleep, it didn’t bring the relief he expected. His body might slow down, but his mind didn’t. “My mind kept racing through patient records,” Jacobs said. “So even sitting on the couch wasn’t helping.” He was on the cusp of understanding what few healthcare workers figure out: True rest requires more than lying down. It requires something that pulls your attention out of the mental loops that medicine trains clinicians to spin 24/7. ...

“Existential risk” – Why scientists are racing to define consciousness WDC TV News; by WDC TV News Staff; 2/1/26 As artificial intelligence continues to advance and ethical concerns grow alongside it, scientists say the need to understand consciousness has reached a critical point. In a new review published in Frontiers in Science, researchers warn that progress in AI and neurotechnology is moving faster than scientific understanding of consciousness. This gap, they argue, could lead to serious ethical problems if it is not addressed. The authors say explaining how consciousness emerges is now an urgent scientific and moral priority. A clearer understanding could eventually make it possible to develop scientific methods for detecting consciousness. That breakthrough would have far-reaching consequences ...

Patients with terminal blood cancer stress need for transfusion access in hospice care, survey findsHematology Advisor; by Joantahn Goodman, MPhil; 1/28/26  Patients with blood cancer eligible for hospice care emphasize the importance of access to transfusion over other services, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. The survey-based study confirms that, among patients with an estimated life expectancy of 6 months or less, routine hospice services are perceived of less value than transfusion access — suggesting that palliative transfusion availability should be incorporated into hospice care universally, the authors noted in their report.

Drivers of disease-specific end-of-life disparities Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/30/26 ... Racial and ethnic disparities persist among underserved patient populations with dementia, who have a stronger likelihood of dying without awareness or access to hospice, recent research has found. Clinicians may play a vital role in moving the needle forward. Nearly 260, 000 Black, Hispanic and white Medicare decedents with dementia-related conditions were recently examined in a new study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Health Forum.  Editor's Note: We posted this study in our Saturday Research newsletter, 12/27/25, End-of-life care for older adults with dementia by race and ethnicity and physicians’ role. This article gives more practical descriptions and applications for its results.

CAPC tools and events to help address disparities and improve outcomes Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC); email and webpage; 2/2/26 February 2026 marks 100 years of Black History Month. As we reflect on a century of honoring the history and contributions of Black Americans, CAPC’s Project Equity initiative focuses on turning that reflection into action by providing practical tools, innovative practices, and training to help palliative care teams effectively advance health equity for patients living with serious illness. 

O&I Subcommittee holds hearing on ongoing fraud in Medicare and Medicaid programs Energy & Commerce - Chairman Brett Guthrie, Washington, DC; Press Release; 2/3/26 Today [2/3], Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led a hearing titled Common Schemes, Real Harm: Examining Fraud in Medicare and Medicaid. ... Watch the full hearing here. [Key excerpts:] ... Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01): “Auditors found 112 hospice providers operating out of a single physical address. 112...holy cow. As a result, hospice agencies in LA County alone likely overbilled Medicare by $105 million in just one year. […] It looks like it’s a problem in a lot of different places. 

It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up. ~Vince Lombardi, legendary coach who led the Green Bay Packers to wins in the first two Super Bowls

Sheinelle Jones honors nurses who cared for her late husbandTODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle; YouTube segment from tv show; 2/4/26 TODAY's Sheinelle Jones pays special tribute to the nurses and caretakers who looked after her husband Uche Ojeh while in hospice and not only made the time he had left more comfortable, but also supported her and the whole family during their most difficult moments. "The only reason I even have the strength to talk about it, is because I believe that they're our heroes. They deserve all the love and attention we can give them," she says. Then, the care team, Jazzie Stickle, Denise James Wright, Nykyra Owens, Chanel Duff and Jessica Goldstein, get a special surprise.Editor's Note: This segment on TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle honored Uche's birthday, the first birthday Sheinelle and her family are experiencing since his death from brain cancer in May 2025. Hudson Valley Hospice provided hospice care, and beautifully represented the best of hospice care's philosophy and care. In addition to nurses and aides, Sheinelle especially thanked Uche's speech pathologist who helped him voice "I love you." I invite you to watch this and be inspired:  Sheinelle Jones' late husband Uche relearned to say 'I love you' in hospice. And she has the video.