Literature Review

Sex and racial/ethnic differences in end-of-life care in decedents with lung cancer in TexasJournal of Palliative Medicine; by Myrna Katalina Serna, Efstathia Polychronopoulou, Aimee Rodriguez, Anjali Ramachandran, Margaret Goodrich, Sean O'Mahoney, Mukaila Raji, Yong-Fang Kuo; 7/25The lung cancer five-year survival rate is lower for Texans compared with the national average. We assessed sex and racial/ethnic differences in end-of-life care among decedents with lung cancer in Texas [and found that] ... males had more health care utilization and less hospice enrollment. Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics had more health care utilization and less hospice enrollment ... Billed ACP [advance care planning] was low across all groups.

Closing the gap: Addressing social determinants of health and racial disparities in hospice care Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); by Alyson Cutshall; 8/4/25... While Americans’ health trajectories are inevitable at the time they become eligible for hospice services, SDOH (Social Determinants of Health) still play a major role for the patients and families our field is privileged to serve. ... [To] fully impact health equity, we must be cognizant of other examples of SDOH, such as racism and implicit bias.  Unfortunately, our collective field has not been as successful in addressing access to hospice care across differing racial and ethnic groups. ... Certainly, there are some pockets of improved access.  One Teleios member organization, Ancora Compassionate Care, recognized the alarming disparities within its community and set about to create change. Ancora leaders recognized that the Black community in their service area typically placed high trust in their religious leaders. To better understand their needs and preferences regarding end-of-life care and services, Ancora embarked on a "listening tour" to gather feedback and insights from these religious leaders. Using the wisdom imparted, Ancora adapted their care delivery to be more inclusive to the Black community.  As such, the organization is making incremental improvements in lessening the racial divide in access to hospice care.

St. Croix Hospice to acquire Mayo Clinic Health System hospice operations in Northwest and Southwest WisconsinWVNews West Virginia's News; Press Release by St. Croix Hospice; 8/1/25 St. Croix Hospice and Mayo Clinic Health System (MCHS) have entered into a definitive agreement for St. Croix Hospice to acquire MCHS's hospice operations in Northwest and Southwest Wisconsin. The agreement is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close later this quarter. The organizations have been longstanding partners in Midwest care, with St. Croix Hospice serving as a leading agency for hospice patients referred outside MCHS.

Chapters Health System expands care in Richmond, VA and surrounding counties PR Newswire; by Chapters Health System; 7/31/25 Chapters Health System, the nation's leading chronic illness innovator and largest nonprofit hospice provider, announces the opening of its newest program offering comprehensive hospice services and grief support to Richmond, VA – and the surrounding counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico and Powhatan. Operating under Chapters Health Hospice, this new program will leverage the resources, infrastructure, and best practices of the nation's largest nonprofit network, while remaining grounded in the leadership of a team that is deeply rooted in the Richmond community. ... The opening of Chapters Health Hospice in Richmond, VA expands the Chapters Health System presence in the state following the 2023 affiliation of Capital Caring Health, which serves the Northern Virginia Region.

Medicare and Medicaid: 60 years of health care reform Medicare Rights Center; by Jisoo Choi; 7/30/25 On this day 60 years ago, Medicare and Medicaid were signed into law, creating a national health insurance program for older adults, people with disabilities, and people with limited incomes. In the first three years, Medicare and Medicaid enrolled nearly 20 million beneficiaries; today, Medicare has an enrollment of over 68 million and Medicaid, over 71 million. The programs, established amidst sustained public pressure and organizing by labor unions and older adults, have been and remain very popular: recent polling shows 82% of American adults hold a generally favorable view of Medicare, and 97% consider Medicaid to be important to people in their local communities.

Estimating the number of services & patients receiving specialized palliative care globally in 2025 Journal of Pain and Symptom Management; by Stephen R Connor, Eduardo Garralda, Vilma A Tripodoro, Carlos Centeno; 7/28/25 online ahead of print ... In 2025, the estimated number of specialized palliative care service delivery teams worldwide reached approximately 33,700 - representing a 32.7% increase from the 25,000 identified in 2017. Service delivery expanded across all WHO regions except Africa. The estimated number of patients served rose from 7 million in 2017 to approximately 10.4 million in 2025. This figure represents roughly 14% of the total global need for palliative care. ... Despite notable growth in service availability, significant disparities persist, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. While over half of the need appears to be met in high-income countries, only 4.4% is addressed by specialist provision in low and middle-income countries. 

NCFCU grant helps CVHHH reach more patients seeking end-of-life care Vermont Business Magazine, VB Vermont; by Tim; 7/29/25 Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) has received a $5,000 grant from NorthCountry Federal Credit Union (NCFCU). The funds will be used to expand hospice and outpatient palliative care services to Central Vermonters who are seeking compassionate end-of-life care and support at home.  ... [CVHHH's] Palliative Care Consultative Service (PCCS) program was launched in 2023 to support Central Vermonters facing serious illness with one-on-one care and emotional support. 

HopeHealth CEO on hospice, palliative care, and the future of serious illness support in Rhode Island Rhode Island PBS; by G. Wayne MIller; 7/22/25 HopeHealth President and CEO Diana Franchitto discusses her personal journey, the organization’s partnership with Brown University, caregiver and grief support services, and how HopeHealth is preparing for its 50th anniversary as a leader in compassionate end-of-life care. ... [Diana Franchitto, "Over the past half-century, HopeHealth has been a trailblazer for serious illness care. As we look to the future, we take that legacy seriously. We want our organization and our community to thrive, but we also have a role in helping the fields of hospice and palliative care thrive on a broader scale. ..."  

Be on the lookout for this new Medicare scam Las Vegas Review-Journal; by Toni King; 7/24/25 Dear Toni: A hospice agent recently came knocking on the doors in my neighborhood saying he represented Medicare. He was giving away hospice gifts and told me that I could receive these Medicare services at no charge for me and my husband. I told him that I did not give out personal information to anyone that I do not know. Now, I’m concerned that I could have made a mistake. Should I call and ask if this Medicare service is still available? —Deidre, Katy, Texas Dear Deidre: Medicare is not giving away anything free! This is a new scam that is targeting America’s Medicare population.  ...Editor's Note: Though we’ve addressed this topic repeatedly in recent months, ongoing awareness and community education remain essential. Please continue seeking opportunities to collaborate with media outlets in your service areas to help inform and protect vulnerable populations. Use the following articles—previously featured in our newsletter—as reference points:

[Korea] Earlier palliative cancer care cuts end-of-life ED visits Medscape; ed. by Gargi Mukherjee; 7/23/25 A recent retrospective study found that earlier outpatient palliative care referrals for patients with advanced cancer were associated with a small increase in overall emergency department (ED) visits but significantly fewer end-of-life ED visits and improved advance care planning. ... A substantial proportion of patients with advanced cancer visited the ED, including during the final month of life. Earlier palliative care referrals were associated with fewer end-of-life ED visits, “emphasizing the importance of timely integration of [palliative care] to reduce unnecessary interventions and ensure goal-concordant care,” the authors wrote. The researchers also noted that the findings underscore the need for structured advance care planning discussions across care settings to enhance the quality of end-of-life care.

Filling the gaps with the loss of Wilshire Health and Community Services NBC KSBY-6, California's Central Coast; by Dylan Foreman; 7/22/25 At the end of June, the longtime medical service provider Wilshire Health and Community Services, which offered everything from hospice and home health care to community services like counseling and transportation, closed its doors, leaving clients looking for help elsewhere. ... [Services] like home health and hospice care are being transferred over to organizations like Dignity Health Home Health and Hospice Care, getting 50% of the patients from Wilshire and sending offers out to 30% of their staff. According to Wilshire, on any given day, they could have at least 250 clients.

Rural hospitals eye service expansions to weather federal cuts Modern Healthcare; by Alex Kacik; 7/14/25 Rural hospitals are hopeful they can add rather than reduce services to help soften the blow from looming Medicaid and Medicare cuts. ...  If rural providers cannot recruit physicians, lean more heavily on philanthropic donors or find other ways to reduce their reliance on Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement to get ahead of cuts in the law, hospitals will be forced to pare back services or close their doors, industry observers said. ... In response, rural providers have accelerated ongoing operational adjustments, including renegotiating vendor contracts, beefing up their coding and billing processes, freezing new hires and standardizing daily tasks to reduce administrative waste. But those tweaks alone cannot sustain rural hospitals, so some providers are aiming to grow surgeries, infusions and other services to boost their bottom lines, executives said.

Ok, please help calm my anxiety. My mother has drastically improved in the last couple of days since goin on hospice. Aging Care; by Oedgar23; 7/17/25 So in the hospital, my mother was in kidney failure. The last couple days after stopping vancomycin for about five days, her GFR had come up to 19. That’s the most recent Number and then they stopped drawing labs because we placed her on Hospice. We consulted with palliative care team. They wanted to do a feeding tube and we said no. They said she had advanced dementia. [Describes improvements since hospice.] ... What if she gets taken off hospice? ... What if she no longer qualifies for hospice, passes as normal cognitively, starts demanding to go home, does not qualify for long-term care, Medicaid, etc. ... But I am super unnerved because she looks a whole lot better than she has been looking. ...Editor's Note: Yes, we all know that the person can get better with hospice care, because of holistic person-centered care, caregiver education and support, and many more factors. This can be confusing. The dying trajectory may have been interrupted or simply calmed with better symptom management and quality of life. This daughter is asking normal, crucial questions which the hospice team needs to be addressing with her. Examine your live discharge data, Policies and Procedures, communication practices with the patient and family about recertifications, Incident Reports from upset caregivers/families, and CAHPS Hospice scores.