Literature Review
DEA tells court that Right to Try law doesn’t supersede CSA in psilocybin case
05/02/24 at 03:00 AMDEA tells court that Right to Try law doesn’t supersede CSA in psilocybin case PsychedelicNewsWire; 4/30/24The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is claiming that a federal law that affords severely ill individuals the right to try investigational medications doesn’t apply to drugs classified under the Controlled Substances Act. This is in response to a lawsuit filed by a doctor in Washington state who sought permission to legally administer psilocybin as treatment for patients in end-of-life care with cancer. The agency argues that because drugs classified under Schedule I are said to have no accepted medical use, the law prevents them from being dispensed, even by professionals.
Premier Physician Network partners with Empatia on palliative care
05/02/24 at 03:00 AMPremier Physician Network partners with Empatia on palliative care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/30/24 Premier Physician Network (PPN) has launched an integrated palliative program among its medical group operations, in partnership with agilon health (NYSE: AGL) and its palliative arm Empatia. The program, branded as Senior Health Connect, will provide a palliative care program for Medicare Advantage patients who suffer from serious illnesses. Senior Health Connect is based on agilon’s palliative care model. “Our role there is as a partner. We bring technology. We bring insights. We can bring powerful data and care pathways,” Dr. Benjamin Kornitzer, agilon’s chief medical officer, previously told Hospice News.
Southern states fare worst in USA Today’s searchable staffing level database
05/02/24 at 03:00 AMSouthern states fare worst in USA Today’s searchable staffing level database McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Josh Henreckson; 4/26/24 Many US skilled nursing facilities currently meet some provisions of the new federal staffing rule at least some of the time, but only 160 — slightly more than 1% — consistently meet all requirements, according to a new analysis. Facilities located in southern states had the most ground to make up on staffing, based on a review of summer 2023 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data by USA Today. The analysis, published Wednesday, includes a searchable database with information on individual facilities — including the facility’s name, address and the average hours of care per resident per day compared to the new national standard of 3.48.
To stay open, rural nursing homes in the Midwest prioritize nurses
05/02/24 at 03:00 AMTo stay open, rural nursing homes in the Midwest prioritize nurses NPR KCUR 89.3; by Aaron Bonderson; 5/1/24... Not enough nurses. Nursing home closures are creeping across Nebraska and other parts of the Midwest. Since 2020, 13 Nebraska nursing homes have shuttered, according to the American Health Care Association (AHCA). During that time, 25 Kansas nursing homes, 27 in Missouri, and 36 in Iowa closed their doors. According to the Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA), 22 nursing homes in Iowa closed in 2022 alone because of poor quality of care and low occupancy. ... Staffing shortages and quality of care concerns are the leading reasons long-term care facilities shut down, according to the AHCA and the CMA. The pandemic didn’t help matters, stretching employees and resources to their limits.Editor's Note: Click on the title's link and scroll down for a US map of states with data for rank, nurse staff hours per resident per day (HRPD), total nurses, and total providers.
20 states with most rural hospital closures
05/02/24 at 03:00 AM20 states with most rural hospital closures Hospital CFO Report; by Molly Gamble; 4/29/24 Since 2005, 192 hospitals in rural America have shut down, and the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated rural hospitals' risk of closure. Eight rural hospitals closed in 2023, as many as in 2022 and 2021 combined, according to the report. This followed a landmark 18 rural hospital closures in 2020, more than any year in the previous decade. [Click on the title's link for]
[FL] Attorney General Moody announces arrest of two Seminole County residents for Medicaid fraud
05/02/24 at 03:00 AM[FL] Attorney General Moody announces arrest of two Seminole County residents for Medicaid fraud Office of Attorney General Ashley Moody [Florida]; by Kylie Mason; 4/23/24 Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, ... announced the arrest of Debora Behnke and Suman Bhattacharjee ... [They] ran Pioneer Medical Transportation LLC and submitted fraudulent claims for nonemergency medical transportation for Medicaid recipients, stealing more than $250,000 from the Medicaid program. "Instead of transporting vulnerable Medicaid recipients, these individuals falsely billed the taxpayer-funded program for services never completed. In some instances, they even convinced patients to move across the state—with no regard for the best interest of the patients—and still charged Medicaid for transporting them from the original, longer distance. ..."
Hospice care scam has FBI issuing warning after 'huge increase in complaints'
05/02/24 at 03:00 AMHospice care scam has FBI issuing warning after 'huge increase in complaints'ABC TV 13, Houston, TX; by Samica Knight; 4/29/24The Federal Bureau of Investigations is warning about a scam in which crooks sign people up for hospice care without their knowledge. The FBI has received numerous reports from victims in the Houston area about this costly scam. "It's a little bit more egregious and distasteful than some of the other Medicare frauds we typically deal with," FBI Supervisory Special Agent Shannon Brady said. "We've had a huge increase in complaints." Fraudsters are actually signing mostly elderly victims up for end-of-life hospice care when they don't need it and without the victim even knowing about it.
Nurses have reservations about use of AI on the job: survey
05/02/24 at 03:00 AMNurses have reservations about use of AI on the job: survey McKnights Senior Living; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 4/29/24More than half of the nurses responding to a new survey by Cross Country Healthcare said they have reservations about the potential benefits of artificial intelligence in the nursing field. The online survey of 1,127 nursing professionals and students at hospitals and other healthcare facilities was conducted Jan. 18 to March 11. Respondents who said they are uncomfortable using AI expressed concerns about the potential absence of empathy and diminished patient connection. Those who said that they are comfortable with using AI on the job expressed a belief that the technology enhances efficiency, documentation, data analysis and research, upskilling opportunities and automated monitoring systems.
Generative AI: A roadmap for healthcare leaders
05/02/24 at 03:00 AMGenerative AI: A roadmap for healthcare leaders Curate; 4/30/24 ... As the capabilities of generative AI continue to expand, healthcare leaders are tasked with harnessing its potential while navigating the ethical, regulatory, and operational challenges it brings. This article offers a comprehensive roadmap for healthcare C-suite and senior leaders to incrementally adopt generative AI, emphasizing the strategic approach and expertise provided by Curate in healthcare consulting and technology modernization.
Elara Caring agrees to pay $4.2 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that it billed Medicare for ineligible hospice patients
05/02/24 at 02:00 AMElara Caring agrees to pay $4.2 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that it billed Medicare for ineligible hospice patients Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice; Press Release; 5/1/24Elara Caring, and its wholly owned subsidiaries JHH/CIMA Holdings Inc., CIMA Healthcare Management Inc., CIMA Hospice of Texarkana L.L.C., CIMA Hospice of East Texas L.L.C. and CIMA Hospice of El Paso L.P., have agreed to pay $4.2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims and knowingly retaining overpayments for the care of hospice patients in Texas who were ineligible for the Medicare hospice benefit because they were not terminally ill.
Walmart Health is closing
05/02/24 at 02:00 AMWalmart Health is closingWalmart; 4/30/24Back in 2019, we launched Walmart Health centers. During our five-year journey, we made meaningful impacts with patients while continuing to learn, pivot and evolve. While our mission to help people save money and live better remains, today we are sharing the difficult decision to close Walmart Health and Walmart Health Virtual Care. Through our experience managing Walmart Health centers and Walmart Health Virtual Care, we determined there is not a sustainable business model for us to continue.
Judi Lund Person: Unleashed
05/02/24 at 02:00 AMJudi Lund Person: UnleashedTCN Talks; by Chris Comeaux; 4/18/24Judi Lund Person, former vice president of regulatory and compliance at NHPCO, shares her journey into the hospice industry and her passion for ensuring patients and families receive the care they need and want. Judi emphasizes the importance of addressing bad hospice care and uncovering fraud and abuse in the industry. She discusses the proposed changes in the 2025 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Conditions; ... the HOPE tool and the revised hospice survey; ... the sunset of the VBID demonstration; and the need to focus on accountable care organizations and quality reporting. This is a great listen for staff, leaders, and boards of hospice and palliative care organizations. Here’s a great quote from the discussion: “You never know when something you do or somebody you talk to changes the course of your life."
Postpandemic, telehealth preferred in outpatient palliative care setting
05/02/24 at 02:00 AMPostpandemic, telehealth preferred in outpatient palliative care setting Rheumatology Advisor; by Lisa Kuhns, PhD; 5/1/24 Even after the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine against COVID-19 became available, patients preferred outpatient palliative care visits via video rather than in person, according to study results published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. ... The researchers ... added, “Although telehealth may be preferable for reasons beyond social distancing, this survey found that COVID-19 transmission was still a [postpandemic] concern for some patients, where telehealth can be advantageous. These concerns reflect [an] ongoing sentiment [that] patients with advanced cancer, who are often immune-compromised, have with regards to the pandemic even after widespread vaccine availability and end of COVID-19 restrictions.
WHIAANHPI and SmithsonianAPA unveil joint theme for 2024 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: ‘Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future’
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMWHIAANHPI and SmithsonianAPA unveil joint theme for 2024 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: ‘Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future’ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; by HHS Press Office; 4/24/24Today, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center are proud to present our joint 2024 theme for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Heritage Month: “Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future.” The 2024 theme is an homage to our ancestors and invites all Americans to delve into the legacies, triumphs, and challenges that have shaped AA and NHPI communities. It embodies the spirit of our collective journey – one rooted in resilience and hope – and encourages us to forge intergenerational connections to honor our past and pave a durable path forward.
6 top execs that have recently left Optum
05/01/24 at 03:00 AM6 top execs that have recently left Optum Becker's Payer Issues; by Jakob Emerson; 4/23/24In 2024, at least six top executives previously with UnitedHealth Group's Optum have announced their departures for new positions with companies across the country. [Click on the title's link for names positions.] Optum executive departures in 2023 are here.
Minnesota’s new labor board votes for nearly $23.50 an hour minimum wage for nursing home workers
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMMinnesota’s new labor board votes for nearly $23.50 an hour minimum wage for nursing home workers Minnesota Reformer; by Max Nesterak; 4/29/24 'Today has been a long time coming,’ said nursing home worker Nessa Higgins at a news conference after Minnesota’s first labor standards board voted on April 29, 2024, to raise the minimum wage for nursing home workers to $20.50 per hour by 2027. Minnesota’s new workforce standards board took its first significant vote on Monday, agreeing to raise the pay floor to $23.49 per hour on average in 2027 for nursing home workers, while guaranteeing 11 paid holidays. The worker and government representatives on the board approved the minimum wages without the support of the board’s nursing home industry representatives, who abstained.
Five lessons I have learned in my first year as a hospice CEO
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMFive lessons I have learned in my first year as a hospice CEO Sussex World, UK; by Jasmine Cotton; 4/29/24We spoke to Lois Howell, Chief Executive Officer at St Wilfrid's Hospice in Chichester, about the top five lessons she has learnt in her first year as a hospice CEO. ... "I started my role as Chief Executive Officer at St Wilfrid’s Hospice, Chichester on March 27, 2023. Prior to this, I worked as the Director of Governance and Risk at the NHS Trust on the Isle of Wight ... These are five things I have learnt in my first year as CEO of a local hospice, ..."
Harmony House of Western Massachusetts unveils new home for terminally ill
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMHarmony House of Western Massachusetts unveils new home for terminally ill WWLP TV 22 News; by Kayleigh Thomas; posted 4/26/24, updated 4/27/24 [Chicopee, MA] After a long hiatus, the Harmony House of Western Massachusetts unveiled its new home for the terminally ill. It comes after the original home closed in 2019 before Covid-19 hit. Once the pandemic began, plans to renovate the new home were put on hold. Now, they’re completely renovated with a fully staffed team to offer companionship, meals, laundry services, and personal and spiritual care.
HHS issues new rule to strengthen nondiscrimination protections and advance Civil Rights in health care
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMHHS issues new rule to strengthen nondiscrimination protections and advance Civil Rights in health careHHS Press Office; 4/26/24Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advancing protections against discrimination in health care. By taking bold action to strengthen protections against discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability, this rule reduces language access barriers, expands physical and digital accessibility, tackles bias in health technology, and much more.
Millions of American kids are caregivers now: ‘The hardest part is that I’m only 17’
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMMillions of American kids are caregivers Now: ‘The hardest part is that I’m only 17’The Wall Street Journal; by Clare Ansberry; 4/27/24An estimated 5.4 million children help care for relatives, as families can't afford or find other in-home care. ... Leo Remis gos to high school, plays videogames, and helps take care of his disabled mom. ... More than 70% of young caregivers are caring for a parent or grandparent, according to a caregiving report. Many miss school, feel more isolated and worry about the future. Juggling homework with cooking and giving injections can be overwhelming and lead to anxiety.Editor's Note: Access to this article might require a subscription. Click here for alternate access.
AMA responds to UnitedHealth confirmation of stolen data from Change Healthcare
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMAMA responds to UnitedHealth confirmation of stolen data from Change HealthcareAmerican Medical Association; 4/24/24The American Medical Association (AMA) is deeply concerned about the April 22 announcement from UnitedHealth Group (UHG) indicating vast amounts of sensitive medical data might have been stolen from Change Healthcare’s system and in the hands of malicious ransomware groups. “The AMA appreciates UHG’s statement outlining efforts to contain damage and provide support for people who are concerned about their personal data,” said AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H. “The AMA urges UHG to quickly operationalize and fulfill its promises to help patients and physicians affected by the breach.”
Art exhibition held to honor hospice patient
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMArt exhibition held to honor hospice patientKTVN 2 News, Nevada; by Jake Reno; 4/28/24 Robert Henry, who has always dreamed of showcasing his artwork, was very overwhelmed and happy to see all of the people who came to see his work. Compassion Care Hospice and the Nevada Fine Arts held an art exhibition to honor Robert Henry, a hospice patient ... After members of the hospice care team found out more about Henry's story and how much art meant to him, they were inspired to figure out a way to honor him and his life's passion.
Hospice Claims Edits for Certifying Physicians
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMHospice Claims Edits for Certifying PhysiciansCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Related CR Release Date 4/18/24; Effective Date: 5/1/24; Implementation Date: 10/7/24Related CR Title: Additional Implementation Edits on Hospice Claims for Hospice Certifying Physician Medicare EnrollmentStarting May 1, 2024, we’ll deny hospice claims if the certifying physician, including hospice physician and hospice attending physician, isn’t on our PECOS hospice ordering and referring files. This addresses hospice program integrity and quality of care per Section 6405 of the Affordable Care Act.
Today's Encouragement: May ...
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMMay, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel most alive. - Fennel Hudson
America’s graying. We need to change the way we think about age.
05/01/24 at 03:00 AMAmerica’s graying. We need to change the way we think about age. The Harvard Gazette; by Alvin Powell; 4/25/24 Experts say instead of disability, focus needs to shift to ability, health, with greater participation, economically and socially. People in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s run marathons, write books, and go to work daily. But the predominant national conversation on aging focuses on disability rather than ability, something experts say is a problem as participation of America’s older adults grows more important, economically and socially, as the nation ages.