Literature Review
The future of hospice: how HOPE will transform reimbursement & care | part two
05/26/26 at 03:00 AMThe future of hospice: how HOPE will transform reimbursement & care | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Andrea Hale and Raianne Melton; 5/20/26 In this Part One episode of The Future of Hospice: How HOPE Will Transform Reimbursement & Care, healthcare leaders and hospice professionals, Andrea Hale, CEO of Valley Hospice and Raianne Melton, Director of Clinical Services of Professional Services for Axxess, explore how CMS hospice changes will impact hospice operations, compliance, documentation, and outcomes-based reimbursement models. We take a deep dive into one of the most significant changes facing hospice providers in decades—the implementation of the Hospice Outcomes & Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool.
GAO makes MedPAC appointments
05/26/26 at 03:00 AMGAO makes MedPAC appointments U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Washington, DC; Press Release; 5/22/26 Orice W. Brown, Acting Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), today announced the appointment of the Chair, Vice Chair, and two new members to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). She also reappointed two current members. MedPAC advises Congress on payments to providers in Medicare’s traditional fee-for-service program and to health plans participating in the Medicare Advantage program. ...
The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to ...
05/26/26 at 03:00 AMThe only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible. ~ Arthur C. Clarke
The dying dream of the dead to be at peace with life
05/26/26 at 03:00 AMThe dying dream of the dead to be at peace with life DW; by Hannah Fuchs; 5/22/26 Many people have vivid dreams shortly before death. Research suggests the dreams are not a sign of confusion — but may help both the dying and their loved ones make sense of loss. Known as End‑of‑Life Dreams and Visions (ELDVs), they often occur as dreams during sleep, and sometimes as visions while a person is awake. For those experiencing them, they can feel more vivid and real than ordinary dreams — and for those observing them from the outside, it can be unsettling. Medicine long dismissed ELDVs as episodes of sudden confusion (delirium) or as side-effects of medication. But today, the thinking is shifting.
CMS targeting Georgia, Ohio in fraud fight
05/26/26 at 03:00 AMCMS targeting Georgia, Ohio in fraud fight Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/22/26 Ohio and Georgia are seeing a large influx of new hospice operators, leading some to suspect that fraud is becoming more prevalent in those states. The four states that historically have been hotbeds for fraud — California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas — also saw hosts of new providers enter their markets, many of which were malfeasant. Among other efforts to combat the ongoing fraud, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2023 instituted a provisional period of enhanced oversight for those four states. That has now been extended into Georgia and Ohio, retroactive to Dec. 31, 2025.
UChicago expands its offerings in biomedical ethics
05/26/26 at 03:00 AMUChicago expands its offerings in biomedical ethics NewsWise; by University of Chicago Medical Center; 5/22/26 The University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division is expanding its educational opportunities in biomedical ethics with two new offerings: a biomedical ethics concentration within its Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (BMS) program and a new online biomedical ethics certificate through the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. Together, the offerings are designed to meet growing demand from students and healthcare professionals seeking formal training in how to navigate ethical questions in medicine, research, and patient care. ...
Unlocking human potential through the workplace
05/26/26 at 03:00 AMUnlocking human potential through the workplace FacilitiesNet.com; by AnnMarie Martin; 5/22/26 ... Today’s facility leaders are no longer simply maintaining buildings. They are actively shaping the conditions for organizational success, serving as the critical connector between people, place, strategy and technology. That shift carries both weight and possibility. ... The question driving forward-thinking facility leaders today isn’t whether the workplace matters. It’s how to make it matter more. ... At the heart of this life-centered, people-first approach is a simple but powerful premise: the built environment shapes behavior. Lighting affects focus. Acoustics affect stress. Layout affects collaboration. ...
Ways and Means: Approved policies fight fraud in critical safety net programs
05/26/26 at 02:00 AMWays and Means-approved policies fight fraud in critical safety net programs United States House Committe on Ways & Means - Chairman Jason Smith, Washington, DC; Press Release; 5/22/26 Ways and Means Republicans advanced anti-fraud legislation after months of hearings that revealed the extent of fraud and mismanagement in vital programs like Medicare, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and unemployment insurance. ... [Go directly to the Ways & Committee Fact Sheet, released on Friday 5/22/26, with information and links below to a Fact Sheet for each newly approved policy.]
Pikes Peak Hospice honors veteran graves with flags for Memorial Day
05/26/26 at 02:00 AMPikes Peak Hospice honors veteran graves with flags for Memorial Day KXRM, Colorado Springs, CO; by Dara Korn; 5/23/26 Volunteers from Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care placed flags at the headstones of fallen heroes at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery on Saturday, May 23, to honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives. This is the third year that the hospice has placed flags at the graves of service members to prepare for Memorial Day. This year, volunteers placed about 4,500 flags, up from around 4,000 flags the previous year.
While we can never do enough to show gratitude to our nation’s defenders, we can always ...
05/25/26 at 03:00 AMWhile we can never do enough to show gratitude to our nation’s defenders, we can always do a little more. ~ Gary Sinise
Veterans’ Memorial Garden to be dedicated May 25 at Hospice House
05/25/26 at 03:00 AMVeterans’ Memorial Garden to be dedicated May 25 Carteret County News-Times, Morehead, NC; by Cheryl Burkes; 5/20/26 Among ceremonies that will honor fallen veterans on Memorial Day, which is May 25, is dedication of a new Veterans’ Memorial Garden at the Crystal Coast Hospice House in Newport. ... The garden is behind the Hospice House, adjacent to the Memorial Brick Garden. Kay Coole, Executive Director of the Crystal Coast Hospice House, said, “I wanted to recognize the veterans in our area and we needed a flagpole. ... Memorial Day will be the first time the flag is raised." The garden contains a flagpole, military branch stones and bushes, and flowers.
7 dog breeds that can sense when their owner is about to die
05/25/26 at 03:00 AM7 dog breeds that can sense when their owner is about to die Doggodigest; by Gargi Chakravorty; 5/20/26 ... Stories of dogs refusing to leave their owner’s side during their final days or acting strangely before a loved one passes away have fueled curiosity about whether dogs truly possess a sixth sense about death, and scientific research has begun to explore this phenomenon, revealing that dogs’ extraordinary senses may allow them to detect subtle biological and behavioral changes in humans. Science suggests dogs may sense approaching death not through psychic ability but through scent. What follows isn’t mythology. It’s a look at seven dog breeds whose sensitivity, emotional intelligence, and extraordinary olfactory wiring make them especially attuned to the moments most of us can’t yet perceive.
Edmond police grant hospice patient’s dream ride-along
05/25/26 at 03:00 AMEdmond police grant hospice patient’s dream ride-along News9.com, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; by Micah Wilson; 5/21/26 Olivia Snyder, a 23-year-old Edmond woman receiving hospice care, fulfilled her longtime dream of joining an Edmond police ride-along after years of battling rare medical conditions. ... Snyder said she has admired law enforcement since childhood and even trained to become a private investigator. [Descriptions of her illness ...] Now receiving hospice care through Heart to Heart Hospice, Snyder said she has finally begun to feel seen as a person rather than a patient.
CMS clarifies telehealth policy during enrollment moratorium
05/25/26 at 03:00 AMCMS clarifies telehealth policy during enrollment moratorium Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/21/26 Hospices will continue to be able to use telehealth for face-to-face recertifications during the hospice and home health enrollment moratorium, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS). ... The federal statute stipulates that telehealth recertifications are not permitted in regions that are under an enrollment moratorium. This has raised some questions about how hospices can use telehealth for the next six months. “Perhaps the most troubling unintended consequence of a nationwide moratorium is its apparent impact on telehealth …” a trio of state associations said in a joint statement. “In rural communities and congested urban areas alike, this imposes severe and unnecessary burdens on the most vulnerable patients at the most vulnerable moments of their lives.”
Mass General Brigham claims 1,400 lives saved
05/25/26 at 03:00 AMMass General Brigham claims 1,400 lives saved hoodline, Boston, MA; by Benjamin Cortez; 5/21/26 Mass General Brigham says a two year, systemwide push to standardize safety checks, expand hospice and roll out predictive analytics sharply cut inpatient deaths, tallying more than 1,400 lives saved in two years by the health system’s own math. Several front line physicians inside those hospitals are not buying it. They argue that shifts in hospice placement and clinical documentation, not overnight miracles in bedside care, probably explain much of the improvement. The result is a rare, very public tug of war between executives celebrating quality rankings and clinicians who say the numbers do not line up with what they see on the wards.
What misconceptions do people have about hospice care
05/25/26 at 03:00 AMWhat misconceptions do people have about hospice care What's Next? - Buffalo*Toronto Public Media | PBS; by Kelley Clem; 5/20/26Many people associate hospice care with the final days of life, but healthcare advocates say there are still major misconceptions surrounding both hospice and palliative care. On this episode of What’s Next?, Kelley Clem of Hospice Buffalo and Palliative Care Buffalo explains the differences between the two forms of care and why early intervention can improve quality of life for patients living with chronic illness. She also discusses how palliative care helps manage symptoms at any stage of illness, while hospice focuses on comfort and support during the final months of life, including emotional and spiritual care for families.
Berry Charitable Trust makes first distribution to Shanti Niketan Hospice Home
05/25/26 at 03:00 AMBerry Charitable Trust makes first distribution to Shanti Niketan Hospice Home WNKY News 40, Glasgow, KY; by WNKY Staff; 5/21/26 On Tuesday [5/19], the T.J. Community Mission Foundation (TJCMF) was presented with the first annual distribution from the Mary Elizabeth Jones Berry Charitable Trust at the Shanti Niketan Hospice Home. According to the foundation, Berry was a patient at the home. ... TJCMF officials say the trust will provide distributions to the Shanti Niketan Hospice Home for 50 years. Officials say the gift is the largest planned gift in the Foundation’s history.
Veterans Day 2026: recent articles in the news
05/25/26 at 02:00 AMVeterans Day 2026: recent articles in the newsHospice & Palliative Care Today; compilation by Joy Berger; 5/22/26
Hospice fraud is real — but so is ethical hospice care
05/25/26 at 02:00 AMHospice fraud is real — but so is ethical hospice care Mountain Democrat, Placerville, CA; by Tim Meadows, CEO of Snowline Health; Molly Corbett, CEO of Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice; Deanna Brooks, CEO of Hospice of San Joaquin; Sarah McSpadden, CEO of The Elizabeth Hospice; and Craig Dressang, CEP of YoloCares; 5/20/26 Recent headlines detailing hospice fraud investigations across California are deeply troubling. ... These investigations are necessary, long overdue and effective. ... However, amid this justified scrutiny, it is critical not to lose sight of an equally important truth: Hospice fraud is not hospice care. ... Just as important, there are clear ways to identify ethical hospice providers. Families can protect themselves by taking a few simple, informed steps:
Iconic gay congressman Barney Frank passed away at age 86 [with hospice care]
05/25/26 at 02:00 AMIconic gay congressman Barney Frank passed away at age 86 [with hospice care] LGBTQNation; by Greg Owen; 5/20/26 He served for 32 years in Congress and was the first U.S. congressman to come out voluntarily and to marry someone of the same sex ... has died. He was 86. Frank is survived by his husband, Jim Ready. Frank had been in hospice care near his home in Ogunquit, Maine, for the past few months, receiving treatment for congestive heart failure. His family said he passed away Tuesday night [5/19/26].
"Taps" Bugle Call: USMC Drum & Bugle Corps [YouTube]
05/25/26 at 12:00 AM"Taps" Bugle Call: USMC Drum & Bugle Corps [YouTube]YouTube, filmed at the National Mall, Washington DC, retrieved from the internet 5/22/25Editor's note: We invite you to start this Memorial Day with this reflective playing of "Taps," with backdrops of the Washington Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and more. Ongoing, we share with you these resources below for the veterans and their families whom you serve.
A hero is someone who has given his or her life to ...
05/24/26 at 03:00 AMA hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. ~ Joseph Campbell
Official Federal Register document with "Announcement of Nationwide Temporary Moratorium on Enrollment of Hospices"
05/24/26 at 02:50 AMOfficial Federal Register document with "Announcement of Nationwide Temporary Moratorium on Enrollment of Hospices" Federal Register National Archives; 5/14/26 [On Thursday, 5/14/26,] This document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on 2026-05-15 and available online at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-09718, and on https://govinfo.gov.