Literature Review

CMS’ proposed Palliative Care Benefit: What we know so far CHAP - Community Health Accreditation Partner; free webinar to be presented by Dr. Jennifer Kennedy and Dr. Mary Lynn McPherson; to be presented 7/15/26 CMS recently released the FY 2027 Hospice proposed rule and the CY 2027 Home Health proposed rule, both of which address community-based palliative care. Join CHAP for a review of CMS's proposed changes, including new requests for feedback, clarification on the provision of skilled palliative care services under existing Medicare home health benefits, and planned future guidance on covered palliative care services. We'll also discuss how CMS distinguishes palliative care from hospice care and its role in supporting patients with serious illness who continue to receive life-prolonging treatment. 

Allina Health hospice workers hold one-day strike KARE-11 NBC, Minneapolis, MN; by Heidi Wigdahl; 7/6/26 On Monday [7/6], Allina Health hospice workers held a one-day strike as they fight for a first contract. A group of about 65 hospice nurses at Allina, who are members of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, voted in support of a strike at the end of June. Allina Health said the strike does not include nurses at Allina's hospitals and clinics but ones working in homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities within the Twin Cities' greater metro area.

New GAO report on assisted living: Value, not federal oversight, should be takeaway, providers say McKnights Senior Living; by Lois A. Bowers; 7/6/26 A new report about assisted living from the US Government Accountability Office reinforces the value of the setting and the appropriateness of regulation occurring at the state level, industry advocates told McKnight’s Senior Living on Monday. Senators who requested the report, however, said that the report “reveals [a] need for federal oversight." The seven Democrats on the Senate Special Committee on Aging in January 2024 asked the GAO to study the cost and scope of the provision of assisted living services to Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries who live in assisted living communities, among other matters. The GAO publicly released its findings Thursday.

False Claims Act insights - how hospice fraud impacts legitimate providers  Husch Blackwell LLP; by Husch Blackwell LLP; 7/6/26 Host Jonathan Porter welcomes Bryan Nowicki, leader of Husch Blackwell’s hospice practice group and host of the Hospice Insights podcast, to discuss the recent wave of hospice fraud enforcement. With hospice fraud dominating headlines in recent months, Bryan shares insights on how massive fraud schemes are impacting the industry and why legitimate providers face collateral damage.

The hidden healthcare workforce: why family caregivers are essential to the future of care Healthcare Business Today; by Lance A. Slatton; 7/7/26 Healthcare leaders across the United States are confronting a convergence of challenges unlike any in recent memory. Workforce shortages, rising healthcare costs, increasing patient complexity, chronic disease management, and a rapidly aging population are placing unprecedented demands on healthcare systems. As organizations search for solutions to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and maintain quality of care, one of the most important components of the healthcare ecosystem continues to be overlooked. Family caregivers. ... In many cases, they serve as the connective tissue holding an entire care plan together.

Hospitals confront nursing opposition to AI HFMA; by Rich Daly; 7/7/26 Health systems’ adoption of artificial intelligence to improve productivity increasingly is meeting opposition from their nursing staff. Nurse opposition to AI has become most visible in nurse strikes, where limits and guardrails on AI deployment for clinical and administrative uses have emerged. Sixty-five percent of hospitals reported using AI or predictive models integrated with their electronic health records (EHRs) in 2023, according to a recent study. But nurse distrust of the technology was seen in a 2024 National Nurses United survey of 2,300 registered nurses, which found that 60% of respondents did not trust their employers to prioritize patient safety when implementing AI.

Croí Health’s “The 12” gala raises more than $700,000 for hospice and home healthcare MassNonprofitNews; Press Release; 7/6/26 Croí Health’s (formerly NVNA and Hospice) annual The 12 gala raised more than $700,000 to support hospice and home health care, the largest amount in the event’s 12-year history. Held on June 17th at the Pat Roche Hospice Home in Hingham, Croí welcomed hundreds of guests under a massive tent. The fundraiser unites community leaders, donors, and sponsors around a shared mission: ensuring no patient in need is turned away for financial reasons. Named for the Hospice Home’s original 12 private resident rooms, The 12 has become an annual tradition for South Shore philanthropists since its inception in 2015. Guests gather just steps away from the rooms where patients receive end-of-life care, making for a deeply reflective evening.

Young entrepreneurs raise $4,600 for Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont The Index-Journal; by Staff Writer; 7/2/26 What began in 2023 as two young boys wanting to make a difference has grown into a beloved community tradition benefiting Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont. At just 6 years old, brothers Pat and Wells hosted their first lemonade stand with a goal of raising $1,000. Thanks to the generosity of family, friends, and the community, they exceeded that goal by raising $1,200. Inspired by the outpouring of support, the boys set a $2,000 goal in 2024 and raised $2,500. In 2025, they aimed even higher with a goal of $3,000 and raised $4,082. This year, Pat and Wells welcomed a new team member to the fundraiser—their 3-year-old cousin Keaton ... With the support of family, friends, neighbors, and the community, the young entrepreneurs raised $4,600, making the 2026 event their most successful fundraiser to date. Over the past four years, the lemonade stand has raised a total of $12,382 for the nonprofit organization.

[Canada] Palliative care is a fundamental human right TroyMedia; by Rebecca Vachon; 7/6/26 ... Despite the fact that everyone dies, and despite the fact that something like 180,000 Canadians and their families interact with some form of end-of-life care in a year, I keep confronting the perception that palliative care is a niche issue, not one of broad interest. But this reaction only underscores the poll's findings: namely that many Canadians continue to misunderstnad what palliative care is and isn't. On a more positive note, however, when Canadians do understand it, palliative care is, in fact, identified as a priority issue.

CMS proposes expanded authority to revoke Medicare privileges TechTarget; by Jacqueline LaPointe; 7/6/26 CMS proposes expanding its authority to revoke Medicare providers in fraud crackdown, while updating home health payments with a 2.4% increase and continued PDGM adjustments. The Trump administration wants to double down on its healthcare fraud, waste and abuse crackdown. This time, policymakers are seeking to expand CMS' powers to remove providers from Medicare -- a move that the agency says will save taxpayers about $82 million a year. The added capabilities are part of the Calendar Year 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule (CMS-1844-P), which CMS released ahead of the July 4th weekend.

N.J.’s hospice problem is also an equity problem | opinion NJ.com; by Christopher Rinn; 7/5/26 Again and again, families tell me the same thing after a loved one enters hospice care: “We wish we had called sooner.” By the time many New Jersey families reach hospice, they are physically exhausted, emotionally overwhelmed and navigating a medical crisis that has already taken a heavy toll. In our state, the median length of stay in hospice is just 13 days. That means many patients are receiving only days, not months, of the support, comfort and guidance hospice was designed to provide. The biggest reason is not denial or a lack of compassion from families. It is misunderstanding. ...

How to build trust in a new team and establish psychological safety - fast TylerHayden.com; by Tyler Hayden; 7/6/26 Psychological safety is one of the most talked-about concepts in modern leadership — and one of the least understood in practice. Most leaders know they’re supposed to create it. Far fewer know what it actually looks like when it’s missing, what it feels like when it’s present, or how to build it deliberately and quickly when the clock is ticking and the stakes are real. This post is for those leaders. The ones stepping into a new team, a skeptical room, or a group that’s been burned before — and who need more than theory. ...

Dignity shouldn’t depend on having an address: Holly Klein The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH; by guest columnist Holly Klein; 7/5/26 As a hospice nurse for more than 25 years, I’ve cared for people surrounded by family -- and I’ve cared for people who had no one. Today, as executive director and co-founder of Grace House Akron, I care for people who are experiencing homelessness, abandonment or extreme social isolation at the end of life. We provide a home and hospice care at no cost because we believe one simple truth: No one should die alone. I've cared for people living in motels, sleeping in shelters, staying in abandoned buildings or moving from one temporary place to another while facing a terminal illness. ... Hospice is not a place -- it's a model of care. But our healthcare system assumes everyone has somewhere safe to receive it. Many people don't.