Literature Review

Rehab staff concerned by Enloe’s partnership with Lifepoint Chico Enterprise-Record, Chico, CA; Press Release; 1/24/26 In a move that is concerning some staff members, Enloe Health is partnering with private company Lifepoint Health to manage its rehabilitation center. ... This is the second time in roughly five months Enloe outsourced or transitioned services away from in-house management. In August 2025, Enloe ended its in-house Home Health and Hospice program, with hospice services now referred to Butte Home Health and Hospice. Enloe Health and Butte Home Health and Hospice are nonprofits, while Lifepoint is a for-profit company. 

Christmas tree recycling raises £100k for hospice BBC News; Press Release; 1/16/26 A hospice has raised more than £100,000 through its annual Christmas tree recycling scheme, declaring it the most successful year yet. St. Giles Hospice, Lichfield, said 5,425 real trees were collected from people's doorsteps between 10 and13 January as part of its TreeCycle service. Volunteers, hospice staff and local businesses braved the winter weather to pick up trees across Staffordshire, north Birmingham and surrounding areas, stated the charity. The Christmas trees, which lined up would measure nearly seven miles, were being turned into compost by a Lichfield company for agricultural purposes, it added.

US health expenditures rapidly accelerating Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 1/14/26 ... Rising health care utilization is the most significant driver of the spending increases, according to CMS. One key factor is that utilization is bouncing back from declines that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Micah Hartman, a statistician in the National Health Statistics Group with the Office of the Actuary at CMS. Population growth was also a factor. ... By payer type, private health insurance saw the largest rate of spending growth at 8.8%, followed by Medicare at 7.8% and Medicaid at 6.6%. Out-of-pocket spending rose by 5.9%. ... Hospice care saves Medicare roughly $3.5 billion for patients in their last year of life, according to a joint report from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and NORC at the University of Chicago.

CMS, hospice groups mull Wage Index reform Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 1/13/26 Some stakeholders in the hospice space are seeking reforms to the hospice wage index. ... CMS has given indications that it would mull changes to the hospice wage index. In 2025, the agency convened a technical expert panel to consider the issue. One point of discussion is the application of new data sources, including potential changes to hospice cost reports. ... One proposal discussed within the panel would be to revise the hospice cost report to collect accurate information about costs related to full-time employees, ... To implement a new wage index methodology, CMS would also have to go through a proposed rulemaking process, including public notice and a comment period. With any wage index changes, some hospices would “win” and others would “lose.” Some providers may see higher payments as a result, whereas others may see their rates go down. ...

What to expect in US healthcare in 2026 and beyond McKinsey & Company; by Neha Patel and Shubham Singhal with Ankit Jain; 1/12/26The healthcare industry faces successive waves of challenging trends, with glimmers of opportunity in select segments. US healthcare system continues to face considerable financial strain, although there are pockets of opportunity. ... Payers and providers have borne the brunt of the decline to date and will continue to feel financial pressure in the immediate future. ... Meanwhile, providers could experience an increase in uncompensated care and loss of reimbursement. ... Post-acute care is positioned for stronger performance over the next several years, with continued growth in home health and hospice but stagnation in skilled nursing facilities. ...

Sue Ryder urges people to donate unwanted Christmas gifts to support hospice care RDG.Today, United Kingdom; by Staff Writer; 1/5/26 The charity Sue Ryder is encouraging people to donate unwanted Christmas presents to its local shops to help raise funds for palliative care and bereavement support. The national charity, which supports people facing terminal illness and grief, said items such as clothing, unused gadgets and home accessories could be given a second life by being donated rather than left unused at home. ... Sue Ryder has almost 400 shops across the UK, with money raised helping to fund palliative and end-of-life care in hospices and in people’s homes, as well as free bereavement support services. 

Carolina Caring Foundation receives $30,000 grant to help families in Burke CountyThe Paper, Morganton, NC; by The Paper Staff; 12/20/25 Burke County families caring for children with serious illnesses will see added support through a $30,000 grant awarded to Carolina Caring Foundation for Cardinal Kids, the region’s pediatric palliative and hospice care program. Carolina Caring Foundation announced it received the grant from Speedway Children’s Charities to help fund services provided through Cardinal Kids. The foundation said this is the third consecutive year Speedway Children’s Charities has selected Carolina Caring Foundation as a grant recipient.

[United Kingdom] Children's hospice to shut days before Christmas BBC News, London, England; by Amy Clarke; 12/12/25 A children's hospice that has supported children living with complex life-limiting conditions for 25 years is due to close just days before Christmas. Richard House in Newham, east London, provides specialist care to more than 300 families - offering services such as residential care, transition from hospital to home, bereavement support and end-of-life care. 

Perceived value of transfusion access and hospice services among patients with blood cancersJAMA Network Open; by Hari S. Raman, Angel M. Cronin, Scott F. Huntington, Hajime Uno, Caitlin Brennan, Susan Lysaght Hurley, Anna Tidswell, Richard M. Kaufman, Sarah M. Lanahan,  Kimberly S. Johnson, James A. Tulsky, Gregory A. Abel, Oreofe O. Odejide; 11/25In this survey study, our analysis suggests that for many patients with advanced hematologic cancers, the ability to maintain access to blood transfusions is the primary factor in deciding whether to enroll in hospice. Given that the majority of hospices in the US do not provide transfusion access, patients with blood cancers are faced with the impossible choice of preserving access to palliative transfusions vs accessing quality home-based hospice care. This dichotomy between transfusion access and hospice care may contribute to the low rate of hospice use in this population. Our findings underscore the need to develop and test novel hospice delivery models that combine palliative transfusions with routine hospice services to effectively alleviate discomfort and optimize the QOL [quality of life] of patients with blood cancers near the EOL [end of life].Assistant Editor's note: In the calendar year 2024 data from Medicare Hospice claims indicate that only 3.0% of beneficiaries had a blood cancer diagnosis, per Hospice Analytics. This article suggests some great ideas about how hospice can address the expense of blood transfusions with CMS. But until that happens, hospices could consider approaching their local transfusion center about a contract for a reduced price for blood transfusions for patients in need. Ultimately, this will benefit the hospice, the transfusion center (potentially more patients), and most importantly, the patient.

Hospice of South Texas announces full funding for new support services building PROLG Press Release Distribution, Victoria, TX; by Hospice of South Texas; 12/8/25 Hospice of South Texas (HOST) is grateful to announce that the Support Services Building is now fully funded. This milestone was reached through a remarkable $700,000 gift from the M. G. and Lillie A. Johnson Foundation and the generous support of many additional donors. Their partnership ensures continued access to nonprofit, compassionate hospice care for families across twelve South Texas counties. 

Data book: Beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid MEDPAC (Medicare Payment Advisory Commision) and MACPAC (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission); December 2025 This data book is a joint project of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). The data book presents information on the demographic and other personal characteristics, expenditures, and health care utilization of individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid coverage. Dually eligible beneficiaries receive both Medicare and Medicaid benefits by virtue of their age or disability and low income. This population is diverse and includes individuals with multiple chronic conditions, physical disabilities, and cognitive impairments such as dementia, developmental disabilities, and mental illness. It also includes some individuals who are relatively healthy.

Bipartisan senators: Keep hospice out of Medicare Advantage Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/21/25 Two U.S. Senators have penned a letter to congressional leadership urging them to oppose any measures to bring hospice reimbursement into Medicare Advantage. Sens. Dr. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) circulated the letter on Thursday, addressed to Senate leaders from both major political parties, as well as the chair and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee. 

[United Kingdom] Hospice to close dementia support service BBC News, East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, UK; by Emma Petrie; 11/30/25 A hospice in Lincoln has announced the closure of a dementia support service because they say it is no longer financially viable. The Admiral Nurse Service, funded by St Barnabas Hospice, will close from March 2026. Admiral nurses are specialist dementia nurses who work across the UK to provide free advice and support to families and individuals living with dementia.