Literature Review

Hospice CARE Act reintroduced Hospice News; Jim Parker; 3/18/26 Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) have re-introduced the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act, designed to modernize the Medicare Hospice Benefit, fight fraud and expand access to care. The bill contains a blend of program integrity provisions and payment reforms intended to “strengthen” the benefit, according to the lawmakers. The bill would establish new safeguards to prevent fraudulent providers from enrolling in Medicare and bolster federal oversight of hospices. It would also change payment structures to incentivize high-quality care. 

Hospice of Southern Kentucky celebrates revitalization of memorial garden ABC 13 - WBKO News, Bowling Green, KY; by Avery Catalano; 3/18/26 Hospice of Southern Kentucky is celebrating the revitalization of the Geri Buchanon Smith Memorial Garden on its Bowling Green campus. The garden honors the late wife of longtime board member Dr. David Smith. The couple shared a deep love of gardening, and hospice leaders said the space is meant to reflect that.

Most newly enrolled California hospice agencies flagged for fraud, CMS says Washington Examiner; by Mia Cathell; 3/18/26 A top official at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services informed Congress on Tuesday that federal investigators have stripped billing privileges from three-fifths of newly enrolled hospice agencies that have continued to pop up in California, a state long riddled with healthcare fraud. Of the remaining California-based hospice service providers that emerged over the past six months, 35% were flagged for corrective action, Kimberly Brandt, the chief operating officer of CMS, told the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

* CEO, Hildegard House, nonprofit, Louisville, KY

Hospital workers are revealing the heartbreaking regrets patients had on their deathbeds, and I'm at a loss for words BuzzFeed Staff; by Liz Richardson; 3/16/26 You may have heard about people's last words, but if there's anything even more haunting, it's the regrets they have on their deathbed. And, as you can imagine, those who work closely with dying patients have heard some unforgettable final regrets that stick with them for years. ... Several users shared the striking and heartbreaking regrets their patients shared, and wowww, it will hit you hard. Here's what they had to say: ... Editor's Note: This article reflects a more popularized perspective than we typically feature, but it raises themes that are deeply familiar in serious illness and end-of-life care. Hospice and palliative care teams are trained to meet these moments with presence, skilled communication, and interdisciplinary support—helping patients and families explore reflection, meaning, and connection in ways that extend far beyond the headlines.

Metro East hospice aide caring for her own son with rare terminal disorder First Alert 4, Collinsville, IL; by Jeffrey Bullard; 3/13/26 A Collinsville mother has worked as a hospice care aide for more than 13 years, and soon she will be placing her son in that care. “She is the best,” said Brenda McGarvey of Amber Mers, her coworker at Unity Hospice Care. “If you didn’t know Amber personally, you would never know what she is going through,” explained Beverly Lee. Amber is facing a mother’s worst nightmare. Her son Emil is dying.

Spotlight On: Linda Ward, President & CEO, Gulfside Healthcare Services Capital Analytics Associates (CAA); 3/16/26 Linda Ward, president and CEO of Gulfside Healthcare Services, sat down with Invest: to discuss the organization’s strategic expansion across Tampa Bay, its commitment to underserved communities, and the evolving regulatory landscape shaping post-acute care. Key points:

Alzheimer’s definitions, biomarkers, and antibodies: Halima Amjad, Barak Gaster, and Heather WhitsonGeriPAL podcast; by Alex Smith, Eric Widera, Halima Amjad, Barak Gaster, Heather Whitson; 3/12/26It’s an era of breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s research, yet for many clinicians, it’s also a time of profound uncertainty. We are currently navigating competing definitions of the disease, multiple new biomarkers coming on market seemingly every week, and the clinical rollout of new amyloid antibodies. How do we translate this rapid-fire science into daily practice? On this week’s GeriPal podcast... we dive deep into:

Facing death as a doctor: Knowledge vs natureMedscape; by Sarah Amandolare; 3/12/26 The decision to enroll her father in hospice care came easily for Janet Abrahm, MD. Abrahm, a palliative care doctor and former oncologist, helped her father — an internist who died of prostate cancer at home — understand the program’s benefits, such as family bereavement services, and that he could be readmitted to the hospital if needed. “Most doctors don’t know that,” said Abrahm, who is also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston and the author of Comprehensive Guide to Supportive and Palliative Care for Patients with Cancer. “They think it’s a one-way street, I imagine — that you put somebody in hospice and then that’s it. ... The level of engagement physicians have with death in their practice may inform how they want to die — and how they counsel loved ones facing a serious illness. But a new study suggests even as they face end-of-life decisions through the lens of their expertise, physicians can also be swayed by the same financial, familial, and existential burdens afflicting their patients. 

[Portugal] Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the care of terminally ill patients Healthcare (Basel); by Florbela Gonçalves, Margarida Gaudencio, Sofia B Nunes, Francisca Rego, Rui Nunes; 2/27/26 Conclusions: AI-based technologies hold significant potential to address contemporary challenges in PC, including inequitable access, workforce strain, and the need for more efficient service delivery. Nevertheless, their implementation raises substantial ethical concerns related to autonomy, transparency, data governance, and the preservation of human dignity. AI should therefore be understood as a complementary tool that supports-but does not replace-the human dimension of PC.

Now open: VITAS Healthcare inpatient hospice care at Oak Manor PR Newswire, Largo, FL; by VITAS Healthcare; 3/16/26 Residents in Pinellas County now have improved access to high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care with the opening of VITAS Healthcare inpatient care at Oak Manor in Largo. As the first VITAS inpatient center in the region, the facility strengthens the continuum of care for people facing terminal illness by providing around-the-clock clinical support in a comfortable, supportive environment. The center features 12 private patient rooms designed to offer comfort, dignity and support for patients and families. The facility ... is expected to care for more than 400 patients and their families each year. 

Alliance concerned by MedPAC’s misguided 2026 home health and hospice payment recommendations National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandira, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 3/13/26The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is deeply concerned by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC) March 2026 Report to Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. MedPAC’s congressionally mandated report provides analysis and recommendations on various Medicare programs, including home health and hospice. The Commission’s findings focus on payment adequacy, access to care, quality, financial performance, and projections for 2026 and beyond. The Alliance previously expressed concern in response to MedPAC’s vote in January 2026.

Drew Brees visit delights Saints fan living final days in hospice care in Southern California Fox 8, New Orleans; by Ken Daley; 3/14/26 Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees this week paid a surprise visit to a devoted Saints fan living out his final days at a hospice care facility in Southern California. According to social media posts from the Southern California Hospice Foundation, a 48-year-old man identified as Eddie likely has 1-2 weeks to live after being diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and undergoing four surgeries in the past month that were unable to improve his prognosis. The initial post last Tuesday said Eddie had been transferred to the Heavenly Home hospice in Mission Viejo, an Orange County community between Los Angeles and San Diego. It said Eddie was originally from New Orleans, has always been a devoted fan of the Saints, and especially admired Brees. The post said one of his final wishes was simply to meet an NFL player.