Literature Review

The Joint Commission Home Health Accreditation U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | FederalRegister.gov; Announcemen; scheduled to be published on 7/10/26  The Federal Register announced on July 9, 2026 that the application from The Joint Commission for continued CMS approval of its Home Health Agency (HHA) accreditation program has been approved by CMS. The approval is applicable from March 31, 2026 through March 31, 2032. 

National Alliance for Care at Home hosts 2026 Finance and Technology Summit National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 7/14/26 On July 12-14, the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) successfully hosted the 2026 Alliance Finance and Technology Summit in Boston, MA. The Summit brought together leaders from across the care at home continuum, with expert-led sessions, peer collaboration, and insights into digital transformation, data strategy, and tech-enabled care delivery. More than 600 attendees and exhibitors participated in the comprehensive program, which featured keynote presentations, concurrent educational sessions, networking opportunities, award presentations, and a fundraiser at Fenway Park for the Research Institute for Home Care.

Why joint ventures may outpace M&A during the CMS home health enrollment moratorium Home Health Care News; by MK Manoylov; 7/14/26 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) six-month moratorium on new Medicare home health enrollments limits one pathway for providers to scale, but operators can still expand organically and through M&A. Growth-minded operators can increase census, improve workforce availability, acquire other businesses and forge joint ventures, home health industry insiders said during a recent Home Health Care News webinar. Organic growth can mean improving conversion rates from referrals, expanding partnerships and developing operations, said Andwell Health Partners CEO Ken Albert.

Emotional and ethical impacts on healthcare professionals performing cardiopulmonary resuscitationAmerican Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine; by Patrick J. Macmillan, Susan Hughes, Dumindra Gurusinghe, Allison Go, Chase Lancaster, Iris Price; 6/26Many studies exist outlining poor outcomes related to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) administered to patients who are elderly and/or have comorbid medical conditions with sudden cardiac arrest. Studies show only 10% of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and initial asystole survive until they reach the hospital. Less than 5% survive until hospital discharge with good neurologic function. This study presents data that suggests that there is an association between moral distress and performing CPR on individuals who are elderly with multiple comorbid medical conditions. More than sixty percent of our respondents were challenged emotionally during these types of code situations, and a similar number of healthcare workers felt the code could be considered unethical.

Reach of palliative care in Parkinson disease-Progress and gaps after a national team-based implementation projectNeurology in Clinical Practice; by Sandhya Seshadri, Umer Akbar, Peggy Auinger, Nicole Andrea Lessard, Megan Dini, Sally A. Norton, Hillary D. Lum, Jodi Summers Holtrop, Janis M. Miyasaki, Christina L. Vaughan, Benzi M. Kluger; 6/26While clinical trials demonstrate PC [palliative care] improves quality of life for PWP  [people with Parkinson disease] and carepartners, little is known about the impact of PC on their experiences of receiving care in real-world settings. At COEs [Parkinson's Foundation US-based Centers of Excellence], [surveyed] PWP reported significant increases in non-motor symptom (NMS) assessment ... and pain management ...  Emotional and spiritual needs were addressed more frequently ... Advance care planning (ACP) discussions [and documentation] rose ... Communication ratings and knowledge of PC were high (>85%) and stable across surveys.

National Health Expenditure Projections, 2025–34: Strong utilization growth initially, legislative impacts laterHealth Affairs; by Jacqueline A. Fiore, Andrea M. Sisko, John A. Poisal, Sheila D. Smith, Gigi A. Cuckler, Andrew J. Madison, Sean P. Keehan, Kathryn E. Rennie, and Nicholas J. Feehley; 6/26By 2034, national health spending is projected to total nearly $9.0 trillion and to represent 20.6 percent of the economy, compared with $5.3 trillion and 18.0 percent in 2024. The rate of national health spending growth during this period is influenced by continued elevated use of medical services and goods through 2026; major legislative changes that affect insurance coverage and spending through 2028; and continued demographic shifts toward public programs, mainly Medicare. The insured share of the population is expected to be 90.5 percent in 2034, compared with 91.8 percent in 2024.

Saturday newsletters focus on headlines and research - enjoy!

Contextualizing the dead donor rule in an era of voluntary euthanasiaNew England Journal of Medicine; by Carter Winberg, Ian Ball, Robert D. Truog; 7/26Growing acceptance of voluntary euthanasia, which opens the door to death by organ donation, warrants a recontextualization of the dead donor rule and assessment of the ethical principles involved.Publisher's note: This article was discussed by NPR (A new proposal for organ donation sparks concern; NPR; by Rob Stein; 7/26). Should surgeons be allowed to perform euthanasia by removing patients' hearts and other organs while they're still alive? Doctors try a controversial technique to reduce the transplant organ shortage The idea, dubbed "Death by Organ Donation," would enable euthanasia patients to donate organs for transplantation in a way that would make their organs more likely to be usable. It would also kill them. There are interesting ethical points on both sides of the discussion.

WTWH Media rebrands as Arrowfly, unifying 40+ brands under a new identity built for the future of B2BHospice News press release; 7/13/26WTWH Media ("WTWH"), an award-winning B2B media and marketing company, today announced it has rebranded as Arrowfly. The new name and identity reflect the company's transformation from a specialized trade publisher into an omnichannel B2B media, events, and marketing company where hard-to-reach professional decision-makers gather for trusted journalism, industry intelligence, and high-impact experiences that move their markets forward.Publisher's note: Kelly Tkac of Hospice News, Palliative Care News, Home Health Care News, etc., shared this exciting update with us at the Alliance's Finance and Technology Conference this week in Boston.

The Duke Endowment grant award supports first coordinated palliative care program in Robeson County The Robesonian, Lumberton, NC; by Amanda Crabtree; 7/15/26 UNC Health Southeastern was awarded $575,000 from The Duke Endowment to establish Robeson County’s first coordinated hospital-to-community palliative care program in partnership with Lower Cape Fear LifeCare. The investment represents a significant step forward in expanding access to compassionate, patient-centered care for an estimated 400 patients with serious illness while strengthening the healthcare continuum across Robeson County. By creating a seamless connection between hospital care and community-based services, the initiative will ensure that patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the setting that best meets their needs.

Reporting Face-to-Face encounter conducted by a hospice physician or hospice nurse  practitioner for recertification via telecommunications technology on hospice claims, effective January 1, 2027 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services |CMS; CMS Manual System, Change Request 14495; 7/10/26 Effective January 1,2027, face-to-face encounters using telecommunications must be reported using a modifier or G code on the hospice claim. Guidance was released on July 10, 2026 and can be found in CR 14495 and MM14495.