Literature Review

U.S. AI boom could cause health care costs to soar without changes to payment policy Penn LDI - Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics; by Julia Hinckley, JD; 4/8/26 ... AI is already affecting health care delivery, and the choices policymakers make about payment will define its future trajectory, says LDI Senior Fellow Amol Navathe. AI is already more scalable and varied in its actions than human services. But without policies that create financial incentives to improve care, we risk driving up costs without improved outcomes or stifling innovation, writes Navathe in a recent perspective piece in Health Affairs.

Mass AI job replacement? Not in healthcare, CIOs say Becker's Health IT; by Giles Bruce; 3/18/26 While some doomsayers predict that AI will replace human workers en masse, health system CIOs told Becker’s that healthcare, so reliant on the human touch, is safe. But that doesn’t mean duties won’t change dramatically. In late February, an investment analyst scenario outlining economic cataclysm caused by AI momentarily jolted the stock market. The authors, from Citrini Research, imagined white-collar job openings “collapsing” in late 2026, with blue-collar hiring staying “relatively stable.” While healthcare may be best described as “gray-collar,” the sector is still the nation’s largest employer, driving much of the country’s job growth over the past few decades. Could AI change that equation? ...

HCA’s CEO-to-worker pay ratio widens in 2025  Becker's Hospital Review; by Andrew Cass; 3/16/26 Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare CEO Sam Hazen was paid 420 times more than the health system’s median employee in 2025, according to a March 13 proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mr. Hazen’s total compensation was $26,456,606 in 2025. The total compensation of HCA’s median compensated employee was $62,955. The ratio of these amounts was 420:1. 

[United Kingdom] Specialist palliative care has the potential to reduce costs by up to £8,000 per person and improve quality of life, according to new research published in Palliative Medicine Innovation News Network; by Megan Traviss; 3/10/26 Led by researchers at King’s College London, the research considered two modes of palliative care for those living at home and for those in acute hospital settings. As well as significantly reducing the overall cost of care per person, specialist palliative care delivered at home and in the hospital was associated with improved quality of life for patients in their final months. Peter May, Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at King’s College London and lead author of the study, stated: “This is the first study to estimate the economic impact for England.

Value-based models, Medicaid driving palliative care changes in 2026 Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 2/23/26 The palliative care landscape has seen tremendous growth in recent years, according to Brynn Bowman, CEO of the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). Evolutions in value-based and state-level payment models have played an important role in moving the needle toward greater standardization, Bowman said during Hospice News’ Palliative Care Outlook webinar. ...

Defining palliative care quality in a tight reimbursement environment Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 1/27/26 Palliative care delivery is undergoing an evolutionary period of change. These services are offered in several different ways across the country, which brings both benefits and challenges when it comes to defining quality in the space. Today’s palliative care providers are shaping the outlook of the field, but through diversified approaches, according to Brynn Bowman, CEO of Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). The field is reaching a pivotal stage when it comes to supply and demand or resources, an issue that greater standardization could help to address, she indicated. 

The malady of delayed palliative care McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Avi Steinberg; 1/21/26 This article asserts that while nursing homes face increasing pressure to deliver value-based, goal-concordant care, palliative care—one of the most effective tools to achieve these aims—remains underused and introduced far too late. The problem is not a lack of evidence, but systemic barriers: delayed identification, misaligned payment models, and workforce shortages. Earlier integration of palliative care can reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, lower costs, and improve resident and family experience. Treating palliative care as a standard of care rather than a last resort is an operational necessity for long-term care.

Alliance responds to MedPAC vote on home health and hospice payment recommendations National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/15/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is alarmed by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC) vote today to approve draft recommendations that would significantly reduce home health payment rates by 7% for calendar year 2027 and eliminate payment updates for hospice care in fiscal year 2027.  ... For hospice, the elimination of payment updates would reduce spending by $250 million to $750 million over one year and between $1 billion and $5 billion over five years. 

Hospice job vacancy rates fall in 2025; nurse wage gains slow Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/29/25 Job vacancies among hospice employers dropped to 12.78% in 2025 from 14.03% in 2024. Meanwhile, the rate of pay increases for registered nurses has fallen to 3.58% this year, compared to 2024’s 3.97%. This is according to a new salary and benefits report by the Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service (HCS), the National Alliance for Care at Home and LeadingAge. The report also identified a decline in registered nurse turnover among hospices, to 25.48% from 26.82% year over year. 

'It has made my life a lot easier': New Ohio program pays people to care for their loved ones at homeWTOL-11, Columbus, OH; by Kevin Landers; 11/24/25 Mark Straub, of Delaware County, started caring for his 93-year-old mother about two years ago. As much as he loves to have his mother at home instead of a nursing home, caring for a loved one 24/7 brings with it stress, both emotional and financial. ... The average cost of in-home care in Ohio is $60,238, according to CareScout. The average cost of nursing home care is $108,500 a year, or about $9,000 per month. Thanks to a new program in Ohio, those who care for a loved one at home are about to get financially easier. It’s called Structured Family Caregiving, or SFC. Currently, at least 11 states have formal Medicaid SFC programs that pay family members. “I didn’t believe it at first, until I got that first paycheck and I really wanted to cry, “ said Tsavaris.

Hospice: Track errors, payment caps to avoid facing costly penalties Home Health Line, DecisionHealth; by MaryKent Wolff; 11/13/25 Keep a close eye on possible claim and billing mistakes that could lead to issues related to your payment cap. While increased revenue may seem like a good thing for providers, overpayments could lead to heightened scrutiny and financial hardships for your agency. [May require subscription for additional information]

The Valerie Fund pledges $3.5 million to establish new pediatric pain and palliative care program at Hackensack Meridian Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital News Wise, Hackensack, NJ; by Hackensack Meridian Health; 11/3/25 Hackensack Meridian Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital today announced a transformative, 5-year, $3.5 million commitment from The Valerie Fund to significantly expand its Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care Program. The landmark donation will establish The Valerie Fund Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care Program at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, located at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ, ... This new partnership will allow the hospital to care for more people annually, growing from approximately 1,750 to 3,500 patient visits.