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All posts tagged with “Hospice Provider News | Operations News | Financial.”



Where UnitedHealthcare, Humana rule the Medicare Advantage market

07/25/25 at 03:00 AM

Where UnitedHealthcare, Humana rule the Medicare Advantage market Modern Healthcare; by Tim Broderick; 7/22/25 Medicare Advantage competition was meager in 97% of counties last year, where beneficiaries could choose among just a handful of dominant insurers. The health policy research institution KFF analyzed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data on the plans available across the U.S. and Puerto Rico in 2024. The findings indicate that Medicare enrollees have few options in most areas. Market share was “highly concentrated” in 79% of counties and “very highly concentrated” in another 18%, KFF found, using metrics similar to those the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department employ to measure competitiveness. ... Ninety-three percent of Medicare-eligible people lived in “highly concentrated” or “very highly concentrated” counties. ... [Click here and scroll down for the national map with] the level of Medicare Advantage market concentration for each county and the market share for each county's top insurer.

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CIOs’ tech wishlist: What IT leaders would buy with a blank check

07/22/25 at 03:00 AM

CIOs’ tech wishlist: What IT leaders would buy with a blank check Becker's Health IT; by Naomi Diaz; 7/14/25 If hospital and health system CIOs had unlimited resources, where would they place their biggest technology bets? Becker’s asked several IT leaders: If you had a blank check to invest in one technology tomorrow, what would it be and why? [Only a few responses are listed here. Go to the source article for the IT leaders' name, organization, role, and answer.]

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Perform detail-oriented internal audits to avoid common denials

07/22/25 at 03:00 AM

Perform detail-oriented internal audits to avoid common denials DecisionHealth - Home Health Line; by MaryKent Wolff; 7/18/25 The most common reason for hospice denials in the first quarter of 2025 was that the claim was not hospice appropriate, according to Palmetto GBA, a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) servicing 16 states. Palmetto released its list of the top 10 hospice medical review denial reasons from January to March 2025 on May 16. [Subscription required.]

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Hospice of the Piedmont CEO: Doubling down on community-based support

07/21/25 at 03:00 AM

Hospice of the Piedmont CEO: Doubling down on community-based support Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/16/25 Virginia-based Hospice of the Piedmont is sharpening its focus on home-based care services and unfurling several initiatives in this realm. The future of end-of-life care delivery has increasingly shifted into the home, according to Nancy Littlefield, president and CEO at Hospice of the Piedmont. While demand for facility-based hospice care is also rising, sustaining these services has become increasingly difficult, she indicated. Several hospices have shuttered their facility-based programs in recent years, with many citing financial headwinds as a leading reason fueling inpatient center closures. Financial strains were among the challenges that led to the difficult decision to close Hospice of the Piedmont’s Center for Acute Hospice Care, Littlefield said. ... Hospice News recently sat down with Littlefield to learn more about how hospices are sustaining and growing their services in today’s economic and financial climate.

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51 healthcare leaders’ takes on doing more with less

07/21/25 at 03:00 AM

51 healthcare leaders’ takes on doing more with less Becker's Hospital Review; by Allie Woldenberg, Kelly Gooch, Mariah Taylor, Giles Bruce, Kristin Kuchno, and  Andrew Cass; 7/17/25 It’s a directive that hospitals and health systems of every size know well — whether sprawling academic medical centers, multistate nonprofit systems or rural, independent 25-bed hospitals. While the phrase isn’t new, the urgency behind it is intensifying. The nation’s healthcare workforce remains fragile, forcing leaders to distinguish between staffing gaps that are temporary hurdles or structural limitations. Revenue projections for health systems have shifted dramatically ... Against this backdrop, Becker’s set out to understand how health system leaders across the U.S. are interpreting and enacting the mandate to “do more with less” today. From June 9 to July 15, we spoke with executives across the country, in every type of market, hospital, and health system, to hear how they are navigating this evolving landscape. ...Editor's Note: Scan through these with a sharp eye toward improving the quality of patient care while "doing more with less." I applaud many of these leaders for not just focusing on cutting costs, but for using these crucial changes as a vehicle to improve patient care.

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Cyclist to ride coast-to-coast for hospice care

07/21/25 at 03:00 AM

Cyclist to ride coast-to-coast for hospice care MyMotherLode.com, Calaveras, CA; by Nic Peterson; 7/27/25 John Silva, a 66-year-old retired Amador County Sheriff’s deputy and longtime Calaveras-area resident, is preparing to bike 4,700 miles across the United States to raise money for Hospice of Amador & Calaveras. The journey begins Aug. 1 at Cape Flattery, Washington — the northwesternmost point in the contiguous U.S. — and will end at West Quoddy Head in Lubec, Maine, the nation’s easternmost point. ... The trip is entirely self-funded and performed alone. Silva’s route will take him through Washington, Idaho, Montana, a stretch of Canada, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, New York, and Maine. More than a test of physical endurance, Silva says the ride is a personal mission. Each week of the ride will honor a community member who received hospice care, transforming every mile into a tribute to those who faced death with dignity.

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Executive Personnel Changes - 7/18/25

07/18/25 at 03:00 AM

Executive Personnel Changes - 7/16/25 

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Essentia nurses and healthcare workers turned away from bargaining by employer on second day of ULP strike, acute care nurses announce tentative agreement vote results

07/11/25 at 03:00 AM

Essentia nurses and healthcare workers turned away from bargaining by employer on second day of ULP strike, acute care nurses announce tentative agreement vote results Minnesota Nurses Association, Duluth, MN; Press Release; 7/9/25 On the second day of the ongoing unfair labor practice strike in Duluth and Superior, nurses and healthcare professionals across all six Essentia Health bargaining units arrived at negotiations prepared to make progress — only to be met with rejection and dismissal. ... No meaningful negotiations took place and no progress was made towards resolving the unfair labor practices. Despite Essentia Health’s reliance on costly travel nurses and its abrupt closure of essential facilities like the Solvay Hospice House, frontline healthcare workers have consistently proposed clear pathways to resolution. Today alone, negotiating team members offered to consolidate and expedite bargaining across all six contracts and offered 22 additional negotiation dates in July — both of which Essentia flatly refused.

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[England] Marie Curie hospice unit to close permanently

07/10/25 at 03:00 AM

[England] Marie Curie hospice unit to close permanently BBC News; Liverpool, England; by Angela Ferguson and Marc Gaier; 7/5/25 Liverpool's Marie Curie hospice inpatient unit is to shut permanently after it was temporarily closed last year, the charity has said. The hospice's 26-bed unit in Woolton was closed in July 2024 due to a shortage of specialist nursing staff. Chief executive Matthew Reed said it was "an incredibly tough decision" in the face of "significant financial deficits" but they remained committed to providing care in other ways. Campaigners from the Liverpool Hospice Action Group described the news as "devastating" and called on Marie Curie to allow another provider to step in and run the unit.Editor's Note: Closing Marie Curie's hospice inpatient unit is significant and reflects trends throughout the UK. Though the international articles we post are limited, Hospice & Palliative Care Today has published 16 articles from or about Marie Curie's hospice services in the shart 16 months of our newsletter. 

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Hospice programs shutter amid financial strains

07/08/25 at 03:00 AM

Hospice programs shutter amid financial strains Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/3/25 Financial and staffing headwinds are chipping away at hospices’ sustainability, with some providers recently pausing or closing their programs. Concerns have also mounted amid federal Medicaid cuts.

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Medicaid provisions threaten home and community-based services for millions of vulnerable Americans

07/07/25 at 03:00 AM

Medicaid provisions threaten home and community-based services for millions of vulnerable Americans National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 7/3/25The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement today in response to the House’s passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” also known as the Reconciliation bill, which now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature. “The Alliance is deeply troubled by the Medicaid provisions within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which has passed both chambers of Congress and now awaits President Trump’s signature,” said Alliance CEO Dr. Steve Landers. “These provisions—including work requirements, reduced provider taxes, and new cost-sharing mandates—prioritize short-sighted budget savings over the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable citizens who rely on home and community-based services (HCBS).” The home care community advocated throughout the legislative process for Congress to mitigate these harmful Medicaid provisions.

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CMS launches new model to target wasteful, inappropriate services in original Medicare

07/07/25 at 03:00 AM

CMS launches new model to target wasteful, inappropriate services in original Medicare CMS Newsroom; 6/27/25 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing a new Innovation Center model aimed at helping ensure people with Original Medicare receive safe, effective, and necessary care. Through the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model, CMS will partner with companies specializing in enhanced technologies to test ways to provide an improved and expedited prior authorization process relative to Original Medicare’s existing processes, helping patients and providers avoid unnecessary or inappropriate care and safeguarding federal taxpayer dollars. This model builds on other changes being made to prior authorization as announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and CMS on [6/23].

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Center for Acute Hospice Care to close in August

07/07/25 at 03:00 AM

Center for Acute Hospice Care to close in August 29 News, Charlottesville, VA; by Jacob Phillips; 7/1/25 After nearly a decade of offering around-the-clock end-of-life care, Hospice of the Piedmont is closing their Center for Acute Hospice Care (CAHC) on Ivy Road in Charlottesville in August. “It gives us an opportunity to concentrate more on where patients want to be, which is home, and those services will still be provided,” Hospice of the Piedmont President and CEO Nancy Littlefield said. “[CAHC] is a 10-bed unit that we lease...and it’s for patients who might be having needs of a higher level of hospice care.” Littlefield says the main reason for closing the center is the lease is coming to an end and with uncertainty surrounding federal budget cuts of hospice care, continuing in this location is not sustainable. “Our hospice, as well as all hospices across the state, are having to be very cautious about what Medicaid and other reimbursement changes may occur under the current administration,” Littlefield said, “and I think the worst thing we can do for families and patients is to not be prepared.”

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The Alliance responds to Senate passage of Reconciliation Bill

07/03/25 at 03:00 AM

The Alliance responds to Senate passage of Reconciliation Bill National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandira, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 7/1/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement today in response to the Senate’s passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” also known as the Reconciliation bill. “The Alliance is alarmed by the Senate’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which prioritizes misplaced budget cuts over the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable. The legislation will reduce access to care and support for the millions of Americans who rely on home and community-based services (HCBS),” said Alliance CEO Dr. Steve Landers. ... “The Alliance continues to maintain that the complexity of the Medicaid program makes it nearly impossible to reduce expenditures by the amounts contemplated by this legislation – potentially exceeding $1 trillion over ten years – without impacting services to older adults and people with disabilities. The Alliance will advocate on behalf of Medicaid enrollees, families, and providers nationwide ...

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United Palliative & Hospice Care accused of $87M hospice scam

07/03/25 at 02:00 AM

United Palliative & Hospice Care accused of $87M hospice scam Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/2/25 Three women associated with Houston-based United Hospice & Palliative Care (UPHC) have been charged with Medicaid and Medicare fraud after allegedly bilking more than $87 million in federal health care funds. The trio includes UPHC owner Dera Ogudo, an UPHC employee Victoria Martinez and a psychiatric hospital employee, Evelyn Shaw, ABC-13 Houston reported. The prosecutor’s indictment also includes an unnamed physician who allegedly received kickbacks for referrals to UPHC. “Ogudo and her co-conspirators preyed on the vulnerable residents of those group homes by enrolling them in hospice services with UPHC when they were not terminally ill,” the indictment indicated.

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189 hospital and health system CFOs to know | 2025

07/02/25 at 03:00 AM

189 hospital and health system CFOs to know | 2025Becker's Hospital Review; by Anna Falvey; 6/30/25 The chief financial officers featured on this list are leading the financial strategy and operations for hospitals and health systems across the nation. These accomplished leaders play a pivotal role in driving strategic planning, overseeing expansions and guiding joint ventures. Tasked with ensuring financial stability and long-term sustainability, these CFOs are essential to the overall success and growth of their organizations. Note: Becker’s Healthcare developed this list based on nominations and editorial research. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of included leaders or associated healthcare providers. Leaders cannot pay for inclusion on this list. Leaders are presented in alphabetical order.

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The greatest financial threat to hospitals, per revenue cycle leaders

07/02/25 at 03:00 AM

The greatest financial threat to hospitals, per revenue cycle leaders  Becker's Hospital Review; by Andrew Cass; 7/1/25Nearly half of hospital revenue cycle leaders view payer denials as the single greatest threat to their organization’s financial performance, according to a report from RCM company Knowtion Health, featuring joint research with Healthcare Financial Management Association. The report is based on a nationwide survey of 147 revenue cycle leaders, according to a June 26 Knowtion news release. 

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Impending changes in Medicare payments affecting home health services

07/02/25 at 02:00 AM

Impending changes in Medicare payments affecting home health servicesInvestors Hangout; by Riley Hayes; 7/1/25 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced a proposed rule that outlines crucial adjustments in how Medicare compensates home health agencies (HHAs). ... [A] routine payment increase of 2.4% has been proposed, amounting to an additional $425 million in funding for home health agencies. However, accompanying this increase are three significant changes that are projected to lead to a reduction in overall payments:

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Provider payment incentives: Evidence from the U.S. hospice industry

07/02/25 at 02:00 AM

Provider payment incentives: Evidence from the U.S. hospice industry ScienceDirect - Journal of Public Public Economics; by Norma B. Coe and David A. Rosenkranz; online ahead of print for August 2025 (retrieved from the internet 7/1/25) Highlights

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Families demand end to Medicare waiting period for early-onset Alzheimer’s patients

06/17/25 at 03:20 AM

Families demand end to Medicare waiting period for early-onset Alzheimer’s patients Washington Examiner; by Elaine Mallon; 6/15/25 Jason Raubach was diagnosed at 50 years old with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease — a diagnosis that affects nearly 200,000 Americans. He received the diagnosis in 2018, completely upending life for his family. His youngest child was just a freshman in high school. ... Shortly before receiving an official diagnosis, Jason Raubach lost his job, having to move his family onto a consolidated omnibus budget reconciliation act health plan, or COBRA plan, which allows a person to keep their health insurance even after losing their job. “It wasn’t cheap,” Elizabeth Raubach said.However, once diagnosed, Jason Raubach had to wait two and a half years before he could receive coverage under Medicare, health insurance for those 65 years and older or those with qualifying disabilities. But Elizabeth Raubach, along with dozens of other caretakers for people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, called on Congress in a letter to eliminate the 29-month waiting period required for those under the age of 65 to receive coverage under Medicare. ...

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Georgia hospice provider reaches $9.2M settlement with DOJ over kickback allegations

06/16/25 at 03:00 AM

Georgia hospice provider reaches $9.2M settlement with DOJ over kickback allegations McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 6/13/25 Georgia-based Creative Hospice Care Inc paid the Department of Justice $9.2 million to settle claims that it entered kickback arrangements with medical professionals in exchange for patient referrals, the DOJ disclosed Wednesday. “Decisions regarding end-of-life care are incredibly difficult and personal, and families must be able to trust the intentions of their chosen providers,” Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said in a statement. “Those who instead take advantage of the system for their own personal gain will be held accountable.”

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National Alliance: Proposed 2.4% hospice payment update would create shortfall

06/12/25 at 02:00 AM

National Alliance: Proposed 2.4% hospice payment update would create shortfall Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 6/11/25 The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 2.4% hospice base rate increase is woefully inadequate, and new physician attestation requirements may place undue burdens on providers, according to comments from the National Alliance for Care at Home. The Alliance on Tuesday released its public comments on the 2026 hospice payment rule, which stated that the proposed increase will not adequately cover hospices’ rising costs for supplies, labor, travel and other expenses. 

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Bayada lays off 10% of headquarters staff, citing reimbursement challenges

06/11/25 at 03:30 AM

Bayada lays off 10% of headquarters staff, citing reimbursement challenges Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 6/9/25 Bayada Home Health Care — one of the largest U.S. providers of home-based care — has reduced its headquarters staff by 10%, or roughly 100 jobs. The company stated that the layoffs are the result of operating in a difficult reimbursement environment. “While Bayada is stable, strong and growing, we operate in a challenging environment where the costs of providing care are growing faster than the ability of governments and insurance companies to pay for that care,” the company said in a statement. ... Bayada provides home health, home care, hospice and behavioral health care services in 23 states, as well as in several other countries.

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Rosen introduces bipartisan bills to expand access to palliative care, hospice care

06/06/25 at 03:00 AM

Rosen introduces bipartisan bills to expand access to palliative care, hospice careJacky Rosen, U.S. Senator for Nevada, Washington, DC; 6/5/25 U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Comprehensive Care Caucus, announced the introduction of a pair of bipartisan bills to expand access to palliative and hospice care. The Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act with Senators Barrasso (R-WY), Baldwin (D-WI), and Fischer (R-NE) would establish a demonstration project through Medicare to expand access to palliative care at the time of diagnosis of serious illness or injury. The Improving Access to Transfusion Care for Hospice Patients Act with Senators Barrasso (R-WY) and Baldwin (D-WI) would carve out payment for transfusion services within the Medicare hospice benefit, allowing for separate billing to Medicare for transfusions. This would improve access to hospice care for patients who rely on transfusion care to maintain quality of life.

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Home health provider Intrepid USA files for bankruptcy

06/05/25 at 03:00 AM

Home health provider Intrepid USA files for bankruptcy Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 6/3/25Home health and hospice provider Intrepid USA has recently filed for bankruptcy. The company filed a petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the Southern District Court of Texas in late May, according to court documents. Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy results in a straight liquidation, according to Adam Stein-Sapir, a bankruptcy expert at Pioneer Funding Group LLC. ... In 2024, New Day Healthcare acquired Intrepid USA’s hospice operations in Missouri and Texas. Prior to these sales, Dallas-based Intrepid USA operated more than 60 home health and hospice locations across 17 states.

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