Literature Review

Fort Morgan hospice patient and criminal justice graduate accomplishes dream of becoming a juvenile advocate The Fort Morgan Times, by Robin Northrup; 1/25/24Fort Morgan resident Raquel Marquez has always wanted to be a juvenile advocate. Her passion is to protect the rights and interests of children involved in the legal system — those who are victims of abuse, neglect, or crime. ... In 2013, during her first year of college, Marquez was diagnosed with brain cancer. Even after learning about her diagnosis, she stayed in school and finished her degree. Now at home in the care of her family and Hospice of the Plains, Marquez had her dream fulfilled at her home on Wednesday by Hospice of the Plains representative Leon Midkiff,  Morgan County Sheriff Dave Martin, and 13th Judicial District’s Victim Advocate, Jill Olsen.

Why hospice utilization rates have fallenHospice News, by Jim Parker; 1/25/24National hospice utilization rates have fallen since 2020, though the total number of patients served remains consistent. ... Mathematically, the percentage declined in part because of continually changing demographics.Publisher's note: This article quotes a decline in Medicare hospice utilization rates through 2021, which is true. However, we are seeing a rebound / increase in 2022 and 2023 information.

Evaluation of the Medicare Care Choices Model: Annual report 5, findings at a glance (cms.gov)

Guiding Values for Health Policy in Divided TimesJAMA Network, by Sandro Galea, MD, DrPh; 1/25/24What values should guide health policy during divided times?

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. - Aristotle

Androscoggin Home Healthcare & Hospice CEO receives service awardSun Journal (ME); 1/26/24LEWISTON — Kenneth Albert, president and CEO of Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice, has received the Home Care & Hospice Alliance of Maine’s 2023 Distinguished Service Award.Publisher's note: A "subscribe" box appears when accessing this article, but can be delinced.

In-home care providers await updates on CMS Medicaid proposal, begin preparing for 80/20 ruleHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 1/23/24Drawing parallels between the intentions of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the narrative of a Charles Dickens novel is an uncommon venture. ...  “When the 80/20 rule came out, many of us saw this as a ‘Tale of Two Cities’ situation,” Dave Totaro, chief government affairs officer at Bayada Home Health Care, recently said during a Home Health Care News webinar. 

Provider rebrands as Rainbow Community CareWatertown Daily Times; 1/25/24Rainbow Hospice Care, a trusted local provider of hospice care for over three decades, has rebranded to Rainbow Community Care. This transformation reflects its Board’s longstanding commitment to provide a broad spectrum of services that supports patients and families throughout the entire aging journey, not just at end-of-life. ... “It has been a tremendous honor to be viewed as the area’s cornerstone hospice provider for so many years,” said CEO Karen Carrig.

CMS looks to tackle Medicare Advantage's 'black box'Becker's Payer Issues, by Rylee Wilson; 1/26/24CMS is seeking input on improving transparency in the Medicare Advantage program. The agency issued a request for information Jan. 25, seeking public feedback on how data collection and transparency in the program can be improved. In a news release, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said increased transparency is key to increasing competitiveness in the program and ensuring Medicare dollars are spent correctly.

HHS: Lack of incentives bar home health, hospice providers from creating interoperable solutionsMcKnights Senior Living, by Adam Healy; 1/19/24Long-term and post-acute care organizations have not received the same support as other care settings for creating interoperable patient data tools, putting home health and hospice providers at a disadvantage, according to new research by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

New dementia-focused payment model emphasizes caregiver supportHospice News, by Holly Vossel; 1/18/23Without family caregivers, most hospice and palliative care patients would be unable to receive care in the home. Now, some emerging payment models are including caregiver support as a key component. ... [These come] at a time when dementia-related illnesses are on the rise among hospice patients.

‘You can complain about it, or lean in’: Top home health leaders brace for 2024Home Health Care News, by Joyce Famakinwa; 1/19/24With the start of a new year, home health leaders are looking ahead, and identifying their top priorities. Some of these areas of focus will directly address last year’s challenges, and some are proactive measures that will place them ahead. At Bayada Home Health Care, these priorities include focusing on the employee experience, as well as clinical model evolution.

Care planning issues top lists of hospice survey deficienciesHospice News, by Jim Parker; 1/4/24Amid rising regulatory scrutiny, issues related to care planning continue to top lists of the most common survey deficiencies among hospices. The most frequently cited deficiency is the requirement that each patient should have a customized care plan developed by the interdisciplinary team with involvement from a physician as well as the patient and family, the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) reported. The noncompliance rate was 66% for 2022.