Literature Review

Physician pay gaps by gender, race Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 4/16/26 Gender pay gaps continue to widen between male and female physicians, and physicians by race, Medscape’s Physician Compensation report found. ... The survey found that the gender pay gap has widened since 2023, going from men making $91,000 more per year than women to $102,000 more per year in 2025. This means men make about 31% per year more than women physicians. ... There are also substantial pay gaps based on race. White physicians make about $8,000 more than Asian Americans, the next highest paid group and $49,000 more than Black physicians, the lowest paid group. 

Medical ethics unpacked: clinical ethics consultation in practice Consultant LIve; by Dominic Sisti, PhD and Aliza Narva, JD, BSN, MS; 4/20/26 In this episode of Medical Ethics Unpacked, Dominic Sisti, PhD, a bioethicist from Penn Medicine, speaks with Aliza Narva, JD, BSN, MSN, director of ethics at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, about the practical realities of clinical ethics consultation. ... Common consult themes include end-of-life decision-making, surrogate disputes, and clinician moral distress. She emphasizes that ethics consultants are often called when clinicians feel constrained or uncertain about next steps.

On with the dance, let joy be unconfined is my motto, whether there’s any dance to dance; or any joy to unconfine. ~ Mark Twain

Children supported by hospice remembered in songs Europe Says, Oxford, UK; Press Release; 4/19/26  Ten children who were cared for in a hospice have been honoured with a collection of specially commissioned songs. The bereaved families of the children worked closely with musicians on The Keepsake Circle project at Helen and Douglas House in Oxford. ... The families taking part in The Keepsake Circle project shared stories about their children and what made them unique. The deeply personal songs for the families have been written and produced by singer Kiki Deville and songwriter Angus Powell, with instrumentalist and producer Gregor Gergő Petri also joining the team. 

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:

Supporting family caregivers at work benefits employers too, report offers McKnights Home Care; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 4/17/26 Few employers are doing anything to support workers who are family caregivers, despite sometimes seeing the effects unpaid caregiving has on the workplace, such as absenteeism and underperformance, according to a report from CareBenefits by Care.com, published Wednesday [4/15]. The business implications are becoming clear, the authors said, adding that employers can support workers by offering family caregiving-related benefits.

Carve-in or carve-out? The future of hospice under Medicare Advantage | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Robin Hefferman; 4/15/26In Part One of this thought-provoking conversation, Chris Comeaux and Robin Heffernan, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of Empassion, explore the evolving intersection of private equity, artificial intelligence, and end-of-life care—raising critical questions about accountability, quality, and the future of hospice under Medicare Advantage. As the healthcare system shifts toward value-based models, the discussion challenges long-held assumptions about whether hospice should remain “carved out” or be fully integrated into payer responsibility.

Petaluma’s Sacks Hospice Thrift Shoppe to close in May The Ramsey Show, Petaluma, CA; by Jeff Woodworth; 4/17/26 The beloved Sacks Hospice Thrift Shoppe in Petaluma will permanently close its doors by May 15 after nearly 40 years of service. The Petaluma Argus-Courier reports store operator Providence Hospice Foundation cited the need for “significant capital improvements” and safety upgrades to the leased Liberty Street building as the reason for the shutdown. While liquidation proceeds will continue to fund local grief support, the news has sparked community heartbreak and an online petition with over 1,300 signatures. Volunteers call the shop a “critical resource” for both hospice families and eco-conscious shoppers. 

Woman indicted for mother's death turns tragedy into advocacy WJBF-6 ABC News, Augusta, GA; by Kim Vickers; 4/16/26 A woman is speaking out after she was indicted last year for the death of her mother. Rachel Waters gave her mother morphine provided by a hospice company, which authorities believed led to the woman’s death. Six months later, the charges were dropped. Now, Waters is turning her experience into something positive. ... Foster was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and bone cancer and eventually her oncologist recommended home hospice care. The hospice company prescribed an end-of-life care kit for Waters to use when Foster needed it. End-of-life care kits contain several drugs specific to the patient’s needs, including liquid morphine. We spoke to several Hospice nurses who told us they are commonly prescribed to families and caregivers to administer to their loved one.

“This is the beginning”: DOJ signals intensifying health care fraud enforcement in California Pillsbury; by Christopher Lee, Dylan M. Aste, Fank Kalinski; 4/16/26 Recent U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and California Attorney General enforcement activity sends a clear signal that California health care entities that interact with government programs—in particular the hospice and home health industries—are now under intense scrutiny. Companies in these sectors should prepare for subpoenas, Civil Investigative Demands, and searches as a result of federal and state agencies conducting independent and parallel investigations. This uptick in government enforcement is sure to spur qui tam relators and whistleblowers. Unprepared California hospice and home health companies may face significant civil, and even criminal, exposure.

Leonardtown Run For Hospice raises $125k in 29th annual event My Town, Leonardtown, MD; by Nicholaus Wiberg; 4/16/26 Runners, walkers and pets gathered Saturday morning in Leonardtown (4/11) for the 29th annual Run and Fun Walk for Hospice of St. Mary’s, continuing a long-standing community tradition supporting hospice and bereavement services for local families. The event featured a 10K and 5K runs and a fun walk, beginning at the St. Mary’s County Governmental Center and winding through historic Leonardtown and surrounding rural roads. ... More than 1,100 participants from across the region registered for the St. Mary’s County event; ... the main event raised more than $125,000 ...

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:

CMS issues guidance to implement new limits on federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for certain noncitizens CMS Newsroom; Press Release; 4/8/26 CMS is preparing states for an upcoming change that will limit the ability to claim federal matching funds for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for individuals who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals, or who fall into specific noncitizen categories identified in statute. New guidance issued today will ensure states understand their responsibility in implementing this statutory change beginning October 1, 2026. ... To view the State Health Official (SHO) letter, visit: https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/sho26001.pdf.