Literature Review

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Medicare could have saved $255.1 Million related to hospice services for certain new hospice enrollees United States Government HHS-Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Report number: A-06-22-09003; issued on 6/18/2026, posted on 6/23/26 [From the Full Report]: Our objective was to determine whether the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made Medicare payments to hospices for certain new hospice enrollees in accordance with Medicare requirements.

California hospice providers laud state’s newly proposed emergency regulationsMcKnights Home Care; by Suzy Frisch; 6/22/26 The California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA) has praised proposed emergency regulations for hospices issued June 1 that aim to provide more oversight of operators and establish stronger guardrails against scammers. “This is a significant moment for hospice in California,” CHAPCA President and CEO Sheila Clark said in a statement. “CHAPCA welcomes the California Department of Public Health’s proposed emergency regulations for hospice agencies, which we have long called for.” 

A smarter approach to fraud means better care at home The Hill | Opinion; by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) and Jennifer Sheets; 6/23/26 .. Home health and hospice providers meet people where they are — both physically and through wraparound support — caring for them in their homes at the end of life or during critical healing and recovery periods when trust is paramount. ... Fraudulent operators do not simply steal taxpayer dollars; they harm real people, exploit vulnerable individuals, undermine legitimate providers, and erode confidence in critical healthcare services that families depend on every day. Combatting fraud, waste and abuse in healthcare must remain a national priority. That is why I am glad to partner with the National Alliance for Care at Home on the Protecting Seniors and Stopping Fraudsters Act, designed to strengthen program integrity in home health and hospice while protecting access to care for patients who depend on these services, and reducing burden for legitimate providers.

DOJ uncovers $6.5 billion healthcare fraud and charges record 455 defendants Washington Examiner; podcast by Kaelan Deese; 6/23/26 A nationwide healthcare fraud crackdown resulted in charges against 455 defendants accused of schemes involving more than $6.5 billion in fraudulent claims, marking what federal officials on Tuesday described as the largest coordinated healthcare fraud enforcement action in Justice Department history. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FBI Director Kash Patel, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz announced the operation, which spanned 57 federal districts across 41 states and territories and included charges against 90 licensed medical professionals.

Grief experiences among LGBTQ+ populations: a scoping review BMC Palliative Care; by Tamara Rodríguez Pérez, Cristo Manuel Marrero González, Alfonso Miguel García Hernández; 6/23/26 Objective: To explore research published between 2021 and 2026 on grief and bereavement-related experiences among LGBTQ+ adults in healthcare and palliative care settings, identifying the main topics addressed and knowledge gaps relevant to clinical practice. Results: ... Four main themes were identified: minority stress, complexities of disclosure, disenfranchised grief, and gaps in professional training. Critical gaps included underrepresentation of transgender people, a scarcity of quantitative data, an absence of intersectional perspectives, and concentration in Western contexts.

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Cincinnati Children's opened 6 locations in 2025. Here's why Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH; by Carly Gist; 6/12/2026 Cincinnati Children's is expanding its access to care across the region, including in Northern Kentucky. The health system reported in its latest Community Impact Report, released to the public June 9, that six new locations opened in 2025, including facilities in previously underserved communities such as Clermont and Clinton counties. Rural areas often have limited access to specialized and emergency care, placing residents at a higher risk of health challenges and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There is not human being from whom we cannot learn something if we are interested enough to dig deep. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Cracks in the AI crystal ball: why clinical prediction tools fall short in the real world Journal of General Internal Medicine; by David Gamble MD, Andrew Wong MD, MS and Amiran Baduashvili, MD; 6/22/26 ... In this issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine, Patel and colleagues evaluate the real-world performance of five Epic predictive AI tools: the Deterioration Index, Sepsis Model, Unplanned Readmission Model, End-of-Life Care Index, and Patient No-Show Model. Their systematic review and meta-analysis, encompassing 22 studies and over two million patients, focused on the models’ ability to distinguish between patients who ultimately did and did not experience a specific outcome—a property known as discrimination.

Dying without a safety net MedCityNews; by Darren Schulte; 6/21/26 Recently, I reviewed the case of a woman with advanced metastatic breast cancer – we’ll call her Helen. ... As one therapy after another failed, Helen cycled in and out of the hospital: complications from treatment, complications from the cancer itself, and each time the system responded the only way it knew how – rapid escalation, ICU stays, more procedures, more drugs. Finally, a palliative care team was consulted during her last hospitalization. After long family meetings, Helen was discharged to hospice and died days later. Throughout that final year, Helen suffered. No one on her medical team had documented her wishes, preferences, or goals of care. No one had walked her through the trade-offs she faced with each treatment decision. The system did what it was designed to do, and it failed her completely. 

Somerset hospice opening delayed by Medicare move The Tribune-Democrat, Somerset, PA; by Kelly Urban; 6/20/26 Following a ribbon-cutting in May for the reopening of the Somerset inpatient hospice facility, Windber Hospice at Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber has provided an update regarding the facility’s opening timeline. While the facility remains on track to reopen, the opening has been delayed by a recently announced nationwide Medicare enrollment moratorium affecting new hospice enrollments and hospice locations. ... “We know many families have been eagerly anticipating the return of inpatient hospice care in Somerset County, and we share their disappointment in this unexpected delay,” said Richard Sukenik, CEO of Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber. “We are actively working with local, state and federal legislators to seek assistance and ensure they understand the importance of bringing this service back to Somerset County. We will continue pursuing every available avenue to move this project forward while preparing to welcome patients as soon as approval is granted.” [Access to the full article may be limited by a paywall.]

Leading with care WilmingtonBiz, Wilmington, NC; by Beth A. Klahre; 6/22/26 Following a nationwide search, Karen Brubaker Miller was named president and CEO of Lower Cape Fear LifeCare this spring, becoming just the fourth CEO in the organization’s 46-year history. ... Miller said she plans to continue to grow palliative care services. In addition, with $5 million from the New Hanover Community Endowment, LifeCare will also administer The Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Program, a Medicare initiative launched in July 2024. Looking further ahead, Miller hopes to expand LifeCare’s geographic reach while building on the services in place.