Literature Review
Centrica Care Navigators affiliates with NorthStar Care Community
02/08/24 at 04:00 AMCentrica Care Navigators affiliates with NorthStar Care CommunityHospice News, by Jim Parker; 2/5/24Michigan-based Centrica Care Navigators has affiliated with the NorthStar Care Community, which also operates Hospice of Michigan and Arbor Hospice. ... Post-transaction, the combined nonprofit organization will care for more than 1,800 hospice patients across 60 Michigan counties, as well as nearly 900 palliative care patients, making it one of the largest nonprofit operators in the United States, according to Kelly McCormick, CEO of Centrica.
Alzheimer's: Watch for signs it's time to start hospice care
02/08/24 at 04:00 AMAlzheimer's: Watch for signs it's time to start hospice careThe Advocate, by Dana Territo; 2/5/24When is someone with dementia ready for hospice care? ... Some of the characteristics the affected individual may be exhibiting include the lack of ability to ambulate without assistance, incontinence of bowel and bladder, inability to dress and bathe properly, and speech limited to approximately a half dozen or fewer intelligible and different words. There are also intercurrent illnesses associated with advanced dementia in which hospice services would be a benefit.
AAHPM Annual Presidential Citations
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMAAHPM Annual Presidential CitationsAAHPM email (no link); 2/7/24American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) announced their three Presidential Citations of 2024 to be presented at Annual Assembly taking place from March 23-25 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Real aid in dying means caring for the dying, not helping them to die - Opinion
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMReal aid in dying means caring for the dying, not helping them to die - OpinionNewsweek, by F. Matthew Eppinette; 1/31/24... [Medical aide in dying is legal] in 10 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. As state legislatures convene for 2024, 18 states have had assisted-suicide-enabling legislation introduced, or have it pending from last year, when such legislation was introduced in 15 states. Arguments will be made that the prospect of pain at the end of life means assisted suicide should be legal. It is worth asking, however, whether legalizing assisted suicide is wise public policy. I submit that it is not, and here are four reasons why.Publisher's note: Author is Executive Director of The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity; includes CAPC study reference aimed to increase palliative care.
Healthcare bankruptcies in 2023 hit highest level in 5 years
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMHealthcare bankruptcies in 2023 hit highest level in 5 yearsModern Healthcare, by Caroline Hudson; 1/25/24Healthcare company bankruptcies soared in 2023 to their highest level in the last five years, according to a report released Thursday by Gibbins Advisors. The advisory firm's report, which looked at Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filings from 2019 to 2023, found 79 healthcare companies with more than $10 million in liabilities filed for bankruptcy protection last year. Pharmaceutical and senior care companies made up nearly half of the list. The next-highest year for bankruptcies was 2019, when 51 companies filed for protection.
CMS seeks input on Medicare Advantage transparency policy
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMCMS seeks input on Medicare Advantage transparency policyModern Healthcare, by Alison Bennett; 1/25/24The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wants public input to guide possible future regulations to mandate greater transparency from Medicare Advantage plans, according to a request for information issued Thursday. The agency has sought to shed more light on Medicare Advantage operations and finances in recent years and required insurers to reveal information in areas such as medical loss ratio calculations, prior authorization processes, supplemental benefits and health equity.
Bill that would legalize medically assisted suicide debated at Minnesota Capitol
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMBill that would legalize medically assisted suicide debated at Minnesota CapitolCBS News, by Jonah Kaplan; 1/25/24ST. PAUL, Minn. — A bill that would legalize assisted suicide in Minnesota may have the momentum to pass this upcoming session. The bill was heard and debated on Thursday by the health committee, and it would make the assisted suicide option available only for patients 18 and over who are terminally ill with a prognosis of six months to live or less. The patient must also be mentally fit.
CalOptima to cancel contract with OC hospitals that serve homeless and low-income patients
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMCommunity steps up to donate $309K to Matthews House HospiceBradfordToday; 2/3/24Matthews House Hospice (MHH) is continually amazed by the generous support of our community. As a result of the community support, we raised over $309,000 throughout December and January for our annual holiday giving campaign. This year, the holiday campaign highlighted the impact that our community hospice programs make in the lives of our clients and their families.
Arizona legislators call for more transparency, improved safety in assisted living
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMArizona legislators call for more transparency, improved safety in assisted livingMcKnight's Senior Living, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 1/30/24Arizona has joined a growing list of states where governments are calling for more transparency from assisted living communities through legislation following local media reports questioning resident safety in the setting.
Assisted Living Report Card allows consumers to compare communities based on reviews, inspections
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMAssisted Living Report Card allows consumers to compare communities based on reviews, inspectionsMcKnight's Senior Living, by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 1/30/24A new Assisted Living Report Card launched Monday in Minnesota, allowing consumers to compare assisted living communities based on resident and family reviews, along with state inspection ratings. In 2019, the state legislature provided funding to develop the report card and contracted with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health to complete a national review of quality measurements in assisted living.
[Home Health] Agencies score high on professionalism, lower on patients’ likelihood to recommend to others: CAHPS report
02/08/24 at 03:00 AM[Home Health] Agencies score high on professionalism, lower on patients’ likelihood to recommend to others: CAHPS reportMcKnight's Home Care, by Adam Healy; 1/30/24Home health agencies across the U.S. were graded highly on their professionalism, but many patients have indicated they might not be likely to recommend their services to others, according to the Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems program’s most recent report. A total of 998,092 HHCAHPS surveys spanning more than 7,000 agencies were completed between July 2022 and June 2023, according to the report released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The doctor will see you … when? Regs, reimbursement delay SNF patient access
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMThe doctor will see you … when? Regs, reimbursement delay SNF patient accessMcKnight's Long-Term Care News, by Kimberly Marselas; 1/31/24Patients seen by a physician or other advanced practice provider within a day of a skilled nursing admission were less likely to be rehospitalized compared to patients seen two days post-admission or later. But various obstacles tend to push those physician visits well beyond the first few days of care, University of Pennsylvania researchers found.
Staying Competitive With Consumerism in Healthcare
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMStaying Competitive With Consumerism in HealthcareMedCity News, by Mike Szczesny; 2/2/24Adapting to healthcare consumerism is vital for providers to stay competitive. Shifting from traditional roles to informed consumers requires embracing transparency, technology, and personalized care.
100 Most influential people in healthcare - 2023
02/08/24 at 03:00 AM100 Most influential people in healthcare - 2023Modern Healthcare; 1/23/24The 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare awards & recognition program honors individuals in healthcare who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of Modern Healthcare to be the most influential individuals in the industry, in terms of leadership and impact.
Joint inpatient palliative care approaches may reduce length of stay in intensive care units
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMJoint inpatient palliative care approaches may reduce length of stay in intensive care unitsPhysician's Weekly; 2/7/24Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) would benefit from having an Inpatient Palliative Care (IPC) team to help them through this difficult chapter in their lives. An IPC team usually help patients manage their symptoms and pain along with providing support to them and their families and assisting with communication to ensure realistic expectations.
How PBM legislation would transform the industry
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMHow PBM legislation would transform the industryModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 1/24/24The pharmacy benefit manager industry could look a lot different soon if Congress follows through with bipartisan efforts to pass bills governing the sector. PBMs such as CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and OptumRx would face new transparency requirements that would give health insurance companies, employers, customers and regulators new insights into how they negotiate prices for prescription medicines—and how much of the savings they generate find their way to patients and plan sponsors. Pending legislation also would prohibit lucrative practices such as spread pricing.
FTC sues to block proposed CHS-Novant hospital sale
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMFTC sues to block proposed CHS-Novant hospital saleModern Healthcare, by Alex Kacik; 1/25/24The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday sued to block Novant Health’s planned $320 million acquisition of two North Carolina hospitals from Community Health Systems, alleging the deal could increase costs and reduce care quality. In February, CHS and Novant signed a definitive acquisition agreement involving Lake Norman Regional Medical Center in Mooresville and Davis Regional Medical Center in Statesville, which is transitioning from an acute-care hospital to an inpatient behavioral health facility.
CVS Health, academic medical center form ACO
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMCVS Health, academic medical center form ACOModern Healthcare, by Lauren Berryman; 1/25/24CVS Health and the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are partnering on an accountable care organization, they announced Thursday.
Medicare Advantage plans face new rate cut under CMS proposal
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMMedicare Advantage plans face new rate cut under CMS proposalModern Healthcare, by Nona Tepper; 1/31/24The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is calling for another reduction in the Medicare Advantage base payment rate, which could further challenge health insurers struggling with rising costs. Under a proposed rule issued Wednesday, the Medicare Advantage benchmark would be 0.16% less in calendar 2025 than under current policy, excluding risk adjustment, and would mark a second consecutive year of a lower benchmark rate. The agency plans to finalize the rule by April 1.
Former Trump health official to oversee Oracle Health
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMFormer Trump health official to oversee Oracle HealthModern Healthcare, by Brock E. W. Turner; 2/1/24Seema Verma, former administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is expanding her role at tech giant Oracle. Verma, who was CMS administrator under President Donald Trump, will serve as executive and general manager of Oracle Health.
AHRQ Stats: Largest Declines in Life Expectancy
02/08/24 at 03:00 AMAHRQ Stats: Largest Declines in Life ExpectancyAHRQ News Now; 2/6/24Between 2019 and 2021, the average life expectancy for non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native people declined by 9.2 percent, the most among any group. Average life expectancy declined by 5.3 percent for Black people, 5.1 percent for Hispanic people, 3 percent for White people, and 2.5 percent for Asian people. (Source: 2023 AHRQ National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report.)
Rural hospitals caught in aging-facility dilemma
02/07/24 at 04:03 AMRural hospitals caught in aging-facility dilemma Lexington Herald Leader, by Markian Hawryluk; 2/6/24... Rural hospital closures dropped during the pandemic, from a record-high 18 in 2020 to eight in 2021 and 2022 combined, according to the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, as emergency relief funds kept them open. But that life support has ended.
What to know about the federal government’s big changes to marijuana rules coming soon
02/07/24 at 04:00 AMWhat to know about the federal government’s big changes to marijuana rules coming soonCannabis Business Executive (CBE); 2/5/24It could come today. Or in a few weeks. Maybe within the next month.Whenever it happens, rescheduling marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act – which regulates what drugs are considered illegal and just how illegal they are – would be the biggest step the federal government has taken toward marijuana legalization since it was first outlawed nearly 100 years ago.
Transforming value-based dementia care—Implications for the GUIDE Model
02/07/24 at 04:00 AMTransforming value-based dementia care—Implications for the GUIDE ModelJAMA Intern. Med; by Tarun Ramesh; Kushal Kadakia, MS; Lidia Moura, MD, MPH, PhD; 2/5/24Dementia disproportionately affects older adults and represents an increasingly difficult population health and financial challenge for Medicare. Annual spending for Medicare beneficiaries with dementia is approximately 3 times higher than that for patients without dementia, with excess costs attributable to substantial fragmentation across the care journey. Patients with dementia experience polypharmacy and frequent hospitalizations and require careful coordination across multiple specialty health care professionals with support from unpaid caregivers. However, traditional fee-for-service (FFS) payment models may not adequately support costly medical and social needs for patients with dementia and their unpaid caregivers.Editor's Note: Full access requires subscription or other online library access to JAMA.
Gabelli & Co Investment Advisers Inc. grows position in Amedisys, Inc.
02/07/24 at 04:00 AMGabelli & Co Investment Advisers Inc. grows position in Amedisys, Inc.MarketBeat; 2/5/24Gabelli & Co Investment Advisers Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Amedisys, Inc. ... by 405.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 162,973 shares of the health services provider's stock after buying an additional 130,723 shares during the period. Amedisys makes up 2.5% of Gabelli & Co Investment Advisers Inc.'s portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest position. Gabelli & Co Investment Advisers Inc. owned about 0.50% of Amedisys worth $15,222,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.