Literature Review

Congressional hearing confronts hospice, health care fraud Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 2/4/26 Regulatory reform, better data and more state-federal and other stakeholder partnerships are necessary to combat health care fraud in the United States, including among hospices. This was a key message in a recent hearing by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Hospice fraud has been rampant in certain states. Unscrupulous providers have enrolled patients in hospice who were not eligible or without their knowledge or consent. They have also transferred patients from one hospice to another in exchange for monetary payments, engaged in “license flipping,” and paid illegal kickbacks for referrals, among other abuses.

Former HR worker wins over $5M in jury award for retaliation HR Dive; by Emilie Shumway; 2/3/26 A Utah jury awarded a former HR benefits generalist $5 million on Jan. 29, finding that a preponderance of evidence showed her employer, Bristol Hospice, retaliated against her by firing her after she complained about her supervisor’s behavior (Graham v. Bristol Hospice Holdings, Inc.). According to a lawsuit filed in 2021, the plaintiff complained that her supervisor, a payroll director, subjected her to a hostile work environment. The vice president of HR allegedly investigated her complaint and dismissed it, determining the “behavior was a one-time issue, not a general behavioral concern.” But the behavior continued, per legal documents. 

O&I Subcommittee holds hearing on ongoing fraud in Medicare and Medicaid programs Energy & Commerce - Chairman Brett Guthrie, Washington, DC; Press Release; 2/3/26 Today [2/3], Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led a hearing titled Common Schemes, Real Harm: Examining Fraud in Medicare and Medicaid. ... Watch the full hearing here. [Key excerpts:] ... Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01): “Auditors found 112 hospice providers operating out of a single physical address. 112...holy cow. As a result, hospice agencies in LA County alone likely overbilled Medicare by $105 million in just one year. […] It looks like it’s a problem in a lot of different places. 

We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter their color. ~ Maya Angelou

Superior Health Holdings expands Louisiana hospice footprint with acquisition of Pulse Home Health and Hospice Business Wire, Baton Rouge, LA; Press Release; 2/4/26 Superior Health Holdings (“Superior”) ... today announced the acquisition of the Pulse Home Health and Hospice (“Pulse”), a community-based provider delivering compassionate, high-quality care to patients and families in Louisiana. This acquisition expands Superior’s integrated care capabilities and strengthens its footprint in the Northshore region.

Sheinelle Jones honors nurses who cared for her late husbandTODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle; YouTube segment from tv show; 2/4/26 TODAY's Sheinelle Jones pays special tribute to the nurses and caretakers who looked after her husband Uche Ojeh while in hospice and not only made the time he had left more comfortable, but also supported her and the whole family during their most difficult moments. "The only reason I even have the strength to talk about it, is because I believe that they're our heroes. They deserve all the love and attention we can give them," she says. Then, the care team, Jazzie Stickle, Denise James Wright, Nykyra Owens, Chanel Duff and Jessica Goldstein, get a special surprise.Editor's Note: This segment on TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle honored Uche's birthday, the first birthday Sheinelle and her family are experiencing since his death from brain cancer in May 2025. Hudson Valley Hospice provided hospice care, and beautifully represented the best of hospice care's philosophy and care. In addition to nurses and aides, Sheinelle especially thanked Uche's speech pathologist who helped him voice "I love you." I invite you to watch this and be inspired:  Sheinelle Jones' late husband Uche relearned to say 'I love you' in hospice. And she has the video.

Galactic Symphony thrills young hospice patient Lovin' Life; by Lin Sue Flood; 2/1/26 A quiet backyard suddenly burst into song with the stirring brass of John Williams Star Wars theme recently, transforming a regular afternoon into a Galactic Symphony. For 26-year-old Anthony Castle, a lifelong Star Wars superfan, it was like watching the magic of the big screen come to life. Through a unique partnership between Hospice of the Valley and the Phoenix Symphony, six professional musicians arrived at Anthonys home to perform a private medley. To the delight of Anthony who proudly wore his Baby Yoda T-shirt several of the performers arrived in character, dressed as Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker.

Stop losing customers: Why your retention strategy needs AI nowBusinessWorld; by Sheila Salamanca; 1/6/26Here’s a question that keeps executives up at night: Why are customers leaving, and what can we do about it? If you’re watching customers slip away despite your best efforts, you’re not alone. In subscription-based businesses — think streaming services, software, telecom — losing just 5% more customers can slash profits by 25% or more. The math is brutal. But the solution isn’t acquiring more customers. It’s keeping the ones you have. This isn’t just common sense; it’s now backed by AI... Companies like Verizon and Vodafone have already figured this out. They’re using neural networks, sophisticated AI systems inspired by how our brains work, to predict which customers are about to leave, and how to intervene before it’s too late.Publisher's note: This interesting article recently came across my desk. Hospice's focus retention strategies on staff, not patients. This article might help with both.

“Existential risk” – Why scientists are racing to define consciousness WDC TV News; by WDC TV News Staff; 2/1/26 As artificial intelligence continues to advance and ethical concerns grow alongside it, scientists say the need to understand consciousness has reached a critical point. In a new review published in Frontiers in Science, researchers warn that progress in AI and neurotechnology is moving faster than scientific understanding of consciousness. This gap, they argue, could lead to serious ethical problems if it is not addressed. The authors say explaining how consciousness emerges is now an urgent scientific and moral priority. A clearer understanding could eventually make it possible to develop scientific methods for detecting consciousness. That breakthrough would have far-reaching consequences ...

Struggling rural Nebraska hospitals find 'lifeline' in emergency model Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, NE; by Julie Anderson; 1/31/26 ... In Garden County, which spans 2,000 square miles in Nebraska's eastern Panhandle and numbers about 2,000 residents, the stream of patients coming into the hospital side of Garden County Health Services in Oshkosh had dwindled to a trickle in recent years. According to a recent count, inpatient admissions at the hospital averaged .07 per day and daily swing bed admissions averaged .05. "They can be few and far between," said Sam Pennington, Garden County's CEO. ... Pennington said hospice care was another concern of residents, so he also plans to try to arrange that under some available options. 

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Parmenter Foundation expands compassionate care, bereavement community with 2026 grants Transcendental Meditation News Today, Wayland, MA; Press Release; 2/3/26 ... The Parmenter Foundation, based in Wayland, Mass., will provide $400,000 to nearly two dozen innovative and compassionate programs in four areas of support: children’s bereavement, caregiver support, family bereavement, and hospice care. “We are honored to provide funding to such deserving organizations in 2026,” said Executive Director Angela Crocker. ... Among this year’s grantees is long-term partner Good Shepherd Community Care’s Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence, ... and Empower Grieving Children, ... [Click here for the full list.]

[Worldwide] End-of-life care statistics by care, conditions and illness (2026) Market.us Media; by Samruddhi Yardi; 2/2/26 Each year, an estimated 56.8 million people, including 25.7 million in the last year of life, are in need of palliative care. Worldwide, only about 14% of people who need palliative care currently receive it. ... As society continues to grapple with evolving views on life and death, the commitment to compassionate, personalized, and respectful end-of-life care remains paramount. Embracing this philosophy ensures that every individual is allowed a dignified and meaningful conclusion to their life’s journey.