Literature Review

Hospice advocates push back on CMS’ proposed program integrity scoring system McKnights Home Care; by Liza Berger; 6/3/26 In recent comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, hospice advocates criticized the new scoring system, the Service and Spending Variation Index, or SSVI, that CMS put forth in its fiscal year 2027 hospice proposed rule in April to curb fraud in the sector. They cited a flawed methodology underlying the scores and called for CMS to take down two years of publicly posted data. ...The National Alliance for Care at Home pointed to inaccurate scoring in publicly posted data. “This data could cause substantial reputational harm to hospices for mistakes made by CMS in file construction and assigning scores,” Jennifer Sheets, CEO said.LeadingAge said the nonhospice spending measure “lacks transparency, disregards the influence of size and scale, includes questionable data, and is entirely inactionable for hospices.” Such a measure could target the wrong providers, LeadingAge argued. Editor's Note: Explore details from The Alliance, LeadingAge, and NPHI.

West Coast fraud and AI: DOJ expands healthcare fraud enforcement into technology-driven markets JDSupra | Proskauer Health Care Law Brief; by Devin Cohen, Lara Feder, Matthew Westbrook; 6/3/26 On April 30, 2026, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced the creation of the West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force, a coordinated enforcement initiative focused on healthcare fraud in Arizona, Nevada, and Northern California. ... DOJ’s announcement also reflects the government’s growing focus on technology-enabled healthcare fraud risks. ... In its announcement, DOJ specifically highlights recent prosecutions involving digital health executives and healthcare technology-related fraud schemes in Northern California and Arizona.

Executive Personnel Changes - 6/5/26

Trellis Supportive Care supports CMS efforts to strengthen hospice oversight The Stokes News, Winston Salem, NC; by Ann Gauthreaux; 6/3/25 [Background information about the CMS Hospice six-month moratorium] “Hospice care should always represent dignity, compassion, and trust,” said Dr. Mike Lalor, CEO of Trellis Supportive Care. “Actions that address bad actors in our industry are necessary to preserve the integrity of hospice and ensure that patients receive the quality care they deserve.” Trellis Supportive Care wants to reassure patients, families, referral partners, and the broader community that this moratorium does not impact its services or operations. The organization continues to provide hospice, palliative, and supportive care throughout the region without interruption.

CMS releases guidance to surveyors on hospice, home health moratoria LeadingAge; Press Release; 6/2/26 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance to surveyors regarding the home health and hospice moratoria which took effect May 13, 2026. While much of the information is consistent with the previous FAQs released by CMS, the memo does note that if a presidential disaster is declared, the moratoria will be lifted. Additionally, the memo makes clear that during the moratorium, accreditation from an approved accrediting body cannot serve as the basis for Medicare participation.

Golfing for a cause:Tournament raises more than $190,000 for hospice Herald-Advocate, Laurinburg, SC; by Lauren Monica; 6/2/26 Hospice of Scotland County raised more than $190,000 during its 40th annual golf tournament May 5-6 at Scotch Meadows Country Club, continuing a longtime fundraiser that supports hospice care for patients regardless of their ability to pay. ... The tournament, which serves communities in Scotland and Marlboro counties, has raised more than $5 million over four decades. Organizers said the 2025 total exceeded last year’s by $14,842. The tournament drew 250 golfers and featured about 300 auction items ...

FBI Public Service Announcement: Emerging hospice fraud targeting Medicare recipients Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Public Service Announcement, Alert Number I-060326-PSA; 6/3/26 The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is issuing this Public Service Announcement to warn the public of an emerging hospice fraud scheme that targets vulnerable Medicare recipients who are not in need of hospice services. Scammers are enrolling Medicare patients in hospice care for services they do not need or for services that are not provided. ... Tips to Protect Yourself:

Symptom-monitoring app helps patients with advanced cancer maintain quality of life The ASCO Post; by The ASCO Post Staff; 6/2/26 Use of a mobile app for proactive symptom monitoring helped patients with advanced cancer who were no longer receiving active anticancer treatment maintain their quality of life and reduced hospital utilization, according to findings from a randomized controlled trial presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting. The study evaluated SUPPORT+, a digital symptom-monitoring platform designed for patients receiving palliative care. The app sends weekly automated reminders prompting patients—or their caregivers—to complete a brief questionnaire about physical and emotional symptoms. Based on responses, the app provides self-management recommendations for mild or moderate symptoms and automatically alerts palliative care nurses when severe or worsening symptoms are reported. Nurses then follow up with patients through the app or by telephone.

We couldn't afford to pay for my mom's dementia assisted living anymore. She moved into a tiny house next door to me. Business Insider; as told to Noah Sheidlower; 5/31/26 This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lori Bufka, 64, who is caring for her mother with dementia in Arizona. Assisted living became too expensive for her mother, so Bufka moved her into a trailer next to their home, where her mother would have enough space and safety. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Editor's Note: From this essay, "She went into hospice care, and we hired someone to come for a few hours a week. It was supposed to be $37 for two hours, but when I got the bill, they tacked on mileage, so it became $92. We figured it wasn't worth it, so now hospice volunteers visit every now and then, and hospice covers medically necessary appointments. ..."

Welcome to the 2026 GHPCO Quality Awards Program Georgia Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (GHPCO); Call for Nominations; retrieved 6/2/26As regulators and providers work to address fraud, waste, and abuse in hospice care, the Georgia Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (GHPCO) is highlighting organizations and individuals who demonstrate excellence, integrity, and quality care. GHPCO has announced its 2026–2027 Quality Awards Program, with nominations opening July 20, 2026, and award recipients to be recognized in February 2027. Categories include organizational and individual awards that celebrate leadership, clinical excellence, workforce development, community impact, and specialized care.Editor's Note: Recognition shapes culture. Review how your organization celebrates excellence. Use this model to strengthen quality, accountability, and care.

Hospice Regulatory Alert June 3, 2026 - Hospice PEPPER Report released

Why physicians need to learn cannabis medicine now MedPageToday's KevinMD.com; by Janice Makela, MD; 5/31/26 I am a geriatrics and hospice and palliative medicine physician with over 20 years of experience. Over the years, I have seen how cannabis has helped my patients, and I am very comfortable with my patients using cannabis. But like many physicians, I was not formally trained in cannabis medicine. ... Since then, I’ve learned a lot about cannabis. And I also learned that ... most doctors have very little knowledge about cannabis or the endocannabinoid system. ... As new policies roll out, health care providers need to take time to educate themselves about cannabis. Otherwise, how can we help our patients?

Why pre-admission is hospice’s next operational advantage Hospice News; by Jack Silverstein; 5/29/26 When Dr. Darius Joshi named his San Jose, California-based hospice Redwood Hospice, the name had more significance than simply proximity to Redwood National and State Parks. [Rich metaphor of redwood trees for quality hospice care as related to referrals and admissions ...] ... Inside the rise of the pre-admission platform: three areas of improvement: