Literature Review

National Alliance for Care at Home responds to CY 2027 Medicare Home Health Final Rule, citing continued need for reimbursement stability and targeted oversight National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 11/4/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) today responded to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) calendar year (CY) 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System final rule. The payment update finalized by CMS offers greater stability amid a challenging operating environment, yet the Alliance remains concerned that the finalized 3% temporary payment adjustment may undermine providers’ ability to deliver care in the home. The Alliance is also alarmed that broad provider enrollment provisions may have unintentional consequences for legitimate providers. 

CMS finalizes 2027 Home Health Rule with sweeping regulatory changes Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/4/26 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its 2027 home health rule, which contains significant regulatory updates that affect all healthcare providers. In addition to those provisions, the agency implemented an aggregate payment increase of 2.4%, or approximately $420 million, a departure from recent years in which home health providers have faced reimbursement reductions. CMS is adopting new measures to strengthen oversight of Medicare providers and combat fraud, waste and abuse under its calendar year 2027 home health payment rule. 

Vitas Healthcare: free CME/CE webinars for clinicians South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report; 11/3/26 If you are required to complete ongoing continuing education to maintain licensure and stay current on evolving standards of care. VITAS Healthcare is offering a free accredited webinar series, led by experienced hospice experts, focused on hospice, palliative care, advanced illness management and veterans’ end-of-life care.

Addus sees ‘green spaces’ in hospice, home health M&A Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 11/4/26 Addus HomeCare Corp. (Nasdaq: ADUS) is anticipating a robust deal-making year on the horizon as the company zeroes in on the home health and hospice space. Texas-headquartered Addus provides hospice, home health and personal care services across 24 states. The company is seeking opportunities across clinical business segments, according to Brian Poff, executive vice president and CFO of Addus. Larger home health and hospice assets are in consideration as valuations normalize from heightened levels in previous years, Poff said in an earnings call on Wednesday.

AmeriCare Home Health Services transitions to Avow brandGulfshore Business; by Adam Regan; 11/5/26 Naples-based nonprofit Avow announced that AmeriCare Home Health Services is transitioning to the Avow brand as part of its strategy to expand access to healthcare across Southwest Florida. AmeriCare will remain the legal entity while operating under Avow as its registered doing-business-as name. The transition will not affect existing patients, who will continue receiving skilled home health services focused on recovery, independence and quality of life. Avow President and CEO Jaysen Roa said the change will help patients better identify the organization’s services, which also include hospice, palliative care and specialized programs for veterans and dementia patients. 

Leading the health care workforce through change: leadership, policy, and innovation in action America's Essential Hospitals; by Amaodo Oguagha; 11/4/26 Human resources (HR) and employee relations leaders from seven essential hospitals gathered in Washington, D.C., for “Leading the Health Care Workforce Through Change: Leadership, Policy, and Innovation in Action.” Hosted by America’s Essential Hospitals and Essential Hospitals Institute with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the convening focused on strategies for strengthening employee engagement and retention, growing relationships with employees and community partners, and expanding recruitment for high-turnover positions. 

Delegate Tom Hutchinson receives Making a Difference Award The Star, Annapolis, MD; 10/31/26 Maryland State Delegate Tom Hutchinson has received the 2026 Making A Difference Award from the Hospice & Palliative Care Network of Maryland in recognition of his advocacy for hospice and palliative care and his commitment to improving access to quality healthcare across the Eastern Shore. The award was presented at the Network’s annual conference in Linthicum, Maryland on October 1.

Amid fraud crackdown, home-based care operators look to differentiate Home Health Care News; by MK Manoylov; 11/2/26 Home-based care providers are facing a significant surge in fraud enforcement, but the heightened scrutiny may also provide compliant operators an unexpected way to stand out. To differentiate themselves from fraudulent operators, home-based care providers are placing greater emphasis on documentation, audit readiness, accurate enrollment records and policy reviews to highlight their regulatory compliance, industry leaders said during a FUTURE panel in August.  

8 systems closing, selling home care programs in 2026 Becker's Hospital Review; by Mariah Taylor; 11/4/26 Health systems are pushing more care into patients’ homes, but some are closing, selling or suspending home-based care programs. Here are the health systems that have ended, sold or announced plans to exit home-based care programs in 2026, as reported by Becker’s: [go to the article for details]

Advocates in Rochester seek to promote neuropalliative care Catholic Courier; by Mike Latona; 11/4/26 Elizabeth Johnston’s mother, Lucia Muñoz, copes with dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Her father, Cecilio, has Alzheimer’s disease. The Muñozes still reside in their city home but can no longer be left alone, so Johnston and her sister serve as their caretakers. To help ease their challenges, the family is working with the Neurology Supportive and Palliative Care Service. An initiative of the University of Rochester Medical Center, the clinic aims to achieve a higher quality of life for patients with chronic neurological diseases.

Behind the scenes: how CMS combats hospice fraud Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/4/26 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) is locking horns with scammers, and hospices need a transparent view into the agency’s methods. CMS routinely monitors billing activity, beneficiary complaints and other indicators that may signal potential fraud, an agency spokesperson told Hospice News. When suspicious activity is identified, the agency can take several actions, including suspending payments, revoking Medicare billing privileges and referring cases to law enforcement.

Rural residents faced nearly 3x higher risk of heart attack death before reaching a hospital American Heart Association, Dallas, TX; Scientific Sessions 2026, Abstract MDP2406; 11/2/26 People living in rural areas who experienced a heart attack were nearly three times more likely to die before reaching hospital care, compared to those living in large, metropolitan areas, according to new, independent, preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2026 [Nov. 6-9, Chicago]. ... Previously, there was limited data on exactly which populations and demographics were at greater risk of death before reaching hospital care. This study explored participants’ location at the time of heart attack and death, distance to the nearest hospital and whether deaths differed according to their age, sex, race, Hispanic ethnicity, and urban or rural residency.