Literature Review

Burnett Center restores labyrinth as community healing space Southern Maryland News, LaPlata, MD; by Aamaly Hossain; 7/21/25 On a wide stretch of land, nestled between Barbara Burnett’s two homes and a weathered barn, stands the Burnett Center for Hope and Healing — and beyond it, is its labyrinth. Once known as Calvert Hospice, the center is now part of the Hospice of the Chesapeake and transformed from a patient-filled facility into a community space centered solely on healing. “We’ve reimagined it into a center for everyone in the community experiencing any kind of loss, grief, illness — whatever they need to heal,” Heather Conner, volunteer service manager with Hospice of the Chesapeake, said.

[Korea] Earlier palliative cancer care cuts end-of-life ED visits Medscape; ed. by Gargi Mukherjee; 7/23/25 A recent retrospective study found that earlier outpatient palliative care referrals for patients with advanced cancer were associated with a small increase in overall emergency department (ED) visits but significantly fewer end-of-life ED visits and improved advance care planning. ... A substantial proportion of patients with advanced cancer visited the ED, including during the final month of life. Earlier palliative care referrals were associated with fewer end-of-life ED visits, “emphasizing the importance of timely integration of [palliative care] to reduce unnecessary interventions and ensure goal-concordant care,” the authors wrote. The researchers also noted that the findings underscore the need for structured advance care planning discussions across care settings to enhance the quality of end-of-life care.

Make sure your worst enemy doesn't live between your two ears. ~ Laird Hamilton

CMS plans hiring spree ahead of new payment models Becker's Hospital Review; by Alan Condon; 7/22/25 The CMS Innovation Center plans to hire a string of new employees as it plans to roll out several new payment models. The move comes four months after HHS, CMS’ parent department, cut about 5% of the agency’s workforce, Politico reported July 21. Four things to know:

Humana renews challenge to downgrade of US Medicare 'star' ratings Reuters; by Daniel Wiessner; 7/21/25 Humana ... filed a new lawsuit over the U.S. government's reduction in the health insurer's star ratings for government-backed Medicare plans, after an earlier challenge was dismissed on technical grounds. Humana, in the lawsuit in Fort Worth, Texas, federal court, says the lower ratings could cause it to lose customers and potentially billions of dollars in bonus payments from the government, which would have been used to reduce premiums and increase benefits for its members. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth dismissed those claims last week, finding Humana had failed to exhaust all of its out-of-court options to challenge the ratings. In the new lawsuit, Humana says it has in recent months exhausted an administrative appeals process, giving the insurer standing to sue. 

Social Media Watch 7/25/25

VNA Golf-A-Thon fundraising drivers give it their best shots Vero News, Vero Beach, FL; by Stephanie LaBaff; 7/24/25 Generosity was in full swing during the 35th annual VNA & Hospice Foundation Golf-A-Thon, held this year at the Vero Beach Country Club, where pros representing 13 local clubs spent a full day on the course playing more than 100 holes of golf. “It’s a beautiful day here at the Vero Beach Country Club, and I really want to thank everybody who participated today,” said Carol Kanarek, VNA & Hospice Foundation board chair, thanking the professional golfers, volunteers and staff of the VNA and the VBCC. “This has been a year of events for the VNA,” said Kanarek, referencing the VNA’s 50th anniversary, the 35th anniversary of the Golf-A-Thon and the 25th anniversary of the Hospice House. ... Co-chairs Nancy Edmiston and Karen Formont scored a perfect game with the assistance of their team, raising more than $484,000 in critical funding for VNA & Hospice Foundation programs and services. Editor's Note: Congratulations VNA & Hospice Foundation on this "more than $484,000" raised, and your 50th, 35th, and 25th anniversaries!

Trump administration hands over Medicaid recipients’ personal data, including addresses, to ICE Associated Press (AP), Washington, DC; by Kimberly Kindy and Amanda Seitz; updated 7/17/25 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will be given access to the personal data of the nation’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees, including home addresses and ethnicities, to track down immigrants who may not be living legally in the United States, according to an agreement obtained by The Associated Press. The information will give ICE officials the ability to find “the location of aliens” across the country, says the agreement signed Monday [7/14] between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security. ... Such disclosures, even if not acted upon, could cause widespread alarm among people seeking emergency medical help for themselves or their children. ... The database will reveal to ICE officials the names, addresses, birth dates, ethnic and racial information, as well as Social Security numbers for all people enrolled in Medicaid. The state and federally funded program provides health care coverage program for the poorest of people, including millions of children. ... [Federal] law requires all states to offer emergency Medicaid, a temporary coverage that pays only for lifesaving services in emergency rooms to anyone, including non-U.S. citizens. Emergency Medicaid is often used by immigrants, including those who are lawfully present and those who are not.

Facing new CMS pressure, providers should audit mental health diagnoses, prescriptions: expert McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Kimberly Marselas; 7/22/25 As reported in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News on July 23, “Nursing homes should be auditing documentation for all residents with mental health disorders to ensure their diagnoses are compliant with new federal guidance, a well-known clinical reimbursement recommended Tuesday. Leigh Ann Frick, president of Care Navigation Consulting, made that suggestion while reviewing updated Long-Term Care Surveyor Guidance that went into effect in late April. At over 900 pages, the new manual and appendixes have left many providers still navigating the changes and how best to respond to them. When it comes to giving antipsychotic medications, diagnosing patients with disorders that require them, or identifying and responding to any other patient needs, the guidance puts new emphasis on the use of professional standards, Frisk explained. Guest Editor’s Note, Judi Lund Person:  For nursing home residents who have elected the Medicare hospice benefit, this information may apply. Diagnosing mental health issues, prescribing, and documenting based on professional standards is an important component in the updated Long-Term Care Surveyor guidance issued in April.

A woman in hospice granted a wish of one last swim WEAU-13 News, Bloomer, WI; by Danile Gomez; 7/16/25 Often times the small things are taken for granted. Like a dip in the pool. For Barbara Melby, it was on the final list of things to do as she lives out her time in hospice care. “Barbara has been doing pretty well. She has had some fatigue and some tiredness,” said Leah Grace, the registered nurse with St. Croix Hospice assigned to Melby’s case. ... Grace worked hard to make sure Melby’s last dip in the pool would come to fruition. She cleared it with Melby, her family and the managers at the hospice center. The aquatic center helped in granting the wish too. ... “The way the chair put me in down the water was very nice,” said Melby. Of those in Melby’s family that jumped in the pool with her included Stoll and her kids Colby, Sydney and Brody. “I grew up swimming in my grandmother’s pool. ...” said Stoll. She is happy to be there for her grandmother’s last swim. “Just a pretty special memory we will all hold on to for a pretty long time.” Melby was a swim instructor, ... It was something she always loved and it made her happy to have had her wish granted.

Post-acute care faces labor shortage amid immigration scrutiny Modern Healthcare, Post-Acute Care; by Diane Eastabrook; 7/23/25 Nursing homes and home care operators are scrambling to find replacements for foreign-born workers no longer eligible to work in the U.S. due to changes in immigration policy. Providers in Boston, Atlanta and other cities with large populations of immigrants, and Haitians in particular, say the loss of foreign-born workers in an already tight job market is making it increasingly difficult to meet the growing demand for care — and will likely drive up care costs. Last month the Homeland Security Department began notifying more than 500,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans that it terminated a Biden-era program that allowed them to live and work in the U.S. It said those who have not attained legal status to remain in the U.S. outside of the program must leave immediately. Despite court challenges, the federal government also aims to end another program in early September that grants temporary protected status to Haitians and Venezuelans who have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade. [Full access might require subscription.]

[PACE] New service serving seniors ready to open CBS WKBN 27, Youngstown, OH; by Dave Sess; 7/21/25 ... Buckeye PACE is ready to open its new Mahoning County day center on August 1. There will also be one in Warren. PACE is a program of all-inclusive care for the elderly. People age 55 and over can get wrap-around services to help them stay at home and in their communities. Most of the seniors qualify to live in a skilled nursing facility, but they get support from PACE so they don’t have to. “All of that is wrapped into one service that allows family members then to not have to play the role of constant nurse and social worker and caregiver, and they’re able then to be able to still partake in the community and be out in the community while our seniors are at home,” said Craig Worland, acting CEO for One Senior Care.