Literature Review

How the DOJ-UnitedHealth Group lawsuit could change hospice M&A Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 2/11/25 A U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) victory in its lawsuit to block UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) acquisition of Amedisys is unlikely to have a cooling effect on hospice M&A, according to some experts. The UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Optum in June 2023 agreed to acquire Amedisys in a $3.3 billion deal. Optum in February 2023 also acquired the home health and hospice provider LHC Group for $5.4 billion. DOJ in December 2024 filed the lawsuit to kill the deal. The state attorneys general of Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York are also plaintiffs in the suit. ... DOJ’s chief concern is that the combination of the two companies would dampen competition in the hospice and home health space. Should the transaction proceed, Optum would control 30% or more of the home health or hospice services in eight states, according to the Justice Department’s complaint.

Chesapeake Life Center offers healing for those experiencing loss after DCA tragedy Southern Maryland News Net, Chesapeake, MD; 2/10/25 The Chesapeake Life Center will offer “Healing Our Community: Navigating Grief in the Aftermath of the DCA Tragedy” to support those affected by the Jan. 29 tragedy at Reagan National Airport. Chesapeake Life Center’s trauma-informed grief counselors will lead this healing workshop from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at Hospice of the Chesapeake’s center at 2505 Davis Road, Waldorf, Maryland. The session offers a supportive space for community members to connect with others who share in their loss. Together, they can learn about grief and healthy coping strategies, participate in activities to express and process emotions and create a remembrance keepsake. Adults will meet separately from the children and teens to ensure age-appropriate conversations. 

Montana bill to outlaw physician-assisted death clears Senate Ravalli Republic; by Carly Graf; 2/7/25 The proposal would prohibit a health care provider from prescribing life-ending drugs at the request of a terminally ill patient. That ability currently exists largely due to a legal loophole. [Article is behind a paywall.]

UnitedHealth Group withdraws motion to dismiss antitrust challenge Competition Policy International; by CPI; 2/8/25 UnitedHealth Group has withdrawn its motion to dismiss the Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit challenging its proposed acquisition of Amedisys, a home care and hospice provider. According to the , the healthcare giant stated that new information provided by the government in late January rendered its initial motion moot. ... On January 29, the Justice Department responded to the motion by filing a list of 381 service areas where it alleged the acquisition would negatively impact competition. UnitedHealth Group, in its latest filing, acknowledged that this submission “finally identified” the locations in question, leading the company to withdraw its motion.

How CNOs can manage change management Health Leaders; by G. Hatfield; 2/10/25 Crisp, clear communication is key for CNOs who are trying to handle their change management processes, says this CNO. ... According to Stefanie Beavers, chief nursing executive at OU Health, and HealthLeaders Exchange member, a key focus of the change management process is solidifying organizational identity.

After Eaton fire response, a search and rescue team gears up for a future of wildfire DirectRelief; by Talya Meyers; 2/10/25 Like many California volunteer rescuers, Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team members got their start doing wilderness missions. Now, they’re preparing for a bigger role in an era of more frequent, severe wildfires. When the volunteers on the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team look back on the first night’s response to the Eaton Fire, what they remember most is problem-solving, and quickly. ...  “We were building an airplane while we were flying it,” is how operations leader Carolyn Grumm described it. ... For [Rob Klusman, senior paramedic team member], the vast and urgent need came into focus early that evening, when his team went to check on a medically complex patient receiving end-of-life care. ... [Immediately after countless evacuations,] he and his teammates moved into their second, grimmer assignment: Moving through devastated, burned-out neighborhoods, ... to find human remains. ... [Now, on] a larger scale, Klusamn explained, California search and rescue teams are thinking about the escalating severity and frequency of wildfires — and how they can be there to respond.

Flat MaineCare rates force home health company to discharge pediatric patients NBC News Center Maine, Lewiston, ME; by Vivien Leigh; 2/7/25 A home health company is lobbying state health officials to adopt a funding plan to ensure kids with severe health needs don't fall through the cracks. Andwell Health Partners provides nursing, therapy, and services to nearly 900 children across six counties. The majority of those kids are on MaineCare, the state's version of Medicaid. But the company said it has no choice but to discharge patients because of a lack of increase in reimbursement rates. ... Lindsay Hammes, spokesperson with Maine DHHS, released a statement to News Center Maine. "... MaineCare has been working with providers and partners, including Andwell, on a palliative care model that would, among other populations, cover children with medical complexity. We are in the rate-setting stage for this model." 

Kamloops Hospice's Messages of Love Campaign runs all month long Castanet - Kamloops.net, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada; by Eagle Anderson, 2/9/25 Kamloops residents are being invited to stop by a cafe, grab a cup of coffee and share some positive words as part of Kamloops Hospice’s Messages of Love Campaign, which is running all month. Four local eateries — 5 Bean Brew Bar (Sahali), The Vic, Cafe Motivo, Yew Street — and the Kamloops Hospice will each provide sticky notes, pens and a board for posting. “It’s essentially an awareness campaign,” Kamloops Hospice’s Fund Development Lead Sarah Irvine said. ... Participants are encouraged to write a positive message on each note. They can then keep the note, stick it to a board or give it away. Messages can be written to friends, family, community groups, lost loved ones and even to themselves.

The health care experience of Hispanic patients with serious illness: A literature reviewCAPC press release; 2/10/25CAPC conducted a literature review of peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in PubMed to understand the health care experience of Hispanic patients with serious illness, and their families and unpaid caregivers. [Please click on the link above for the literature review of 200+ journal articles and 14 key findings.]

A broader end-of-life-view: The need for hospice and palliative care extends beyond the elderly, as the patient population at Transitions LifeCare suggestsTriangle Business Journal, Raleigh, NC; by Connie Gentry; 2/7/25 Although the likelihood of developing cancer is highest for anyone over age 65, the American Cancer Society’s annual report on cancer statistics, released last month, noted increasing incidents of many cancer types among younger adults and women. ... But positive outcomes were also reported: The cancer mortality rate in the U.S. declined by 34 percent from 1991 to 2022 and, since 1970, cancer mortality in children 14 years and younger has declined by 70 percent and among adolescents ages 15 to 19 years it has dropped by 63 percent. ... Although the majority of their hospice patients are over the age of 75, Transitions LifeCare is seeing an increase in younger patients. Last year, roughly 9 percent of their hospice patients were under age 65, almost evenly divided between women and men.

Racism separates, but it never liberates. Hatred generates fear, and fear once given a foothold binds, consumes and imprisons. Nothing is gained from prejudice. No one benefits from racism. ~ Thurgood MarshallHonoring Black History Month 2025

Providence and hospital doctors reach tentative agreement in Oregon's 27-day health care strike Access WDUN 75, Portland, OR; by The Associated Press; 2/6/25 Providence and dozens of doctors at a hospital in Portland, Oregon, have reached a tentative agreement after 27 days of strike, bringing what has been described as the state's largest health care strike closer to a potential end, depending on union ratification. The tentative agreement with hospital doctors and palliative care physicians working with patients with serious illness or injury at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center was announced by the Oregon Nurses Association union and Providence in news releases late Wednesday [2/5/25]. Key provisions of the tentative agreement include pay raises, more sick time and a commitment to reform staffing models, the union said.