Literature Review

Delivering compassionate care in an evolving industry: OIG challengesHospice of the Valley, Phoenix, AZ; Press Release; 8/4/26... Over nearly five decades, Hospice of the Valley-West (HOV-West) has served our community and been a national leader in end-of-life care. We are committed to excellent clinical care along with being strong advocates of regulatory compliance and proponents of responsible stewardship of public resources. This commitment is shown in a number of ways: HOV was ranked among the top three hospices in the nation for high-quality care. ... An OIG third-party contractor audited 100 hospice claims for care provided during the first two years of the COVID-19 PHE. The OIG praised HOV-West for strong internal controls, policies and procedures. During the review, their third-party auditor agreed with 85 records, denying 15 records. In conversation with the OIG, they stated that this represents good results. However, HOV-West strongly disagrees with the 15 denials and we believe they will be overturned through the review and appeal process. ... The OIG report can be read here.

Hospice care in the era of AI: hospices' views on data-driven tools to support live discharge decisionsJournal of the American Geriatrics Society; by Elizabeth A. Luth, Caitlin Brennan, Susan Hurley, Kira G. Sheldon, Yongkang Zhang; 8/3/26 Live discharge occurs for 20% of hospice enrollees, resulting in loss of support and disruptive care transitions, with higher risk for patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Little is understood about how data-driven clinical decision support tools (e.g., predictive algorithms) might support decision making regarding live discharge. ... This paper advances our understanding of multilevel factors hospices face in supporting patients discharged alive. It establishes hospices' interest in adopting data-driven tools to support live discharge and outlines criteria for successful development and implementation of these tools.

Hospice groups ‘disappointed’ by 2027 Final Rule Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/3/26 Hospice organizations are expressing “disappointment” following the release of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) hospice final rule for 2027. A chief sticking point was the 2.3% base rate increase, which was less than the 2.4% the agency originally proposed. Members of industry trade groups contend that this is an insufficient amount in today’s economy and cost environment. ... New for 2027, the Service and Spending Variation Index (SSVI) includes a scoring system using nine claims-based measures, each representing different aspects of hospice utilization as well as non-hospice spending. This is designed to identify hospices in need of increased transparency and oversight. CMS established the SSVI amid the agency’s concerns over non-hospice spending in particular. The Alliance, LeadingAge and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) opposed the SSVI in comments on the proposed rule.

Why traditional primary care fails frail elders and the future need for specialized models | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Bethany Snider; 7/29/26 Traditional primary care wasn't designed for today's frail elders—and that gap may be one of healthcare's greatest challenges. As America's population ages, healthcare leaders face an urgent question: Is the traditional primary care model enough to care for frail older adults with complex medical, functional, and social needs?  In Part One of this thought-provoking conversation, Chris Comeaux welcomes Dr. Bethany Snider, Chief Medical Officer of Everent Health, to explore why the future of serious illness care requires a fundamentally different approach. Together, they unpack the emerging concept of the frail elder practice—a longitudinal, interdisciplinary model that extends beyond office visits to meet patients where they are, both physically and emotionally.

National Alliance for Care at Home responds to FY 2027 Hospice Final RuleNational Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 7/30/26The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) today responded to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year (FY) 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update final rule, which finalizes payment and regulatory changes under the Medicare hospice benefit. CMS finalized a 2.3% payment update to the Medicare hospice benefit, which continues to fall short of the rising labor and supply costs required to deliver high-quality hospice care. As demand for hospice services continues to grow, payment updates must more accurately reflect providers’ costs so that access to these essential services does not decline.  “CMS’s 2.3% payment update does not reflect the true cost of delivering hospice care and adds further strain to providers who are already stretched thin,” said Jennifer Sheets, CEO of the Alliance. “Compounding that pressure is a Service and Spending Variation Index built on a fundamentally flawed methodology that penalizes legitimate providers for non-hospice claims they have no visibility into nor control over, with no process to review or correct the data before it is made public. This is not a sound approach to program integrity. An inadequate payment update combined with an unreliable oversight tool creates a serious and growing burden for legitimate providers working to serve their communities.” 

Las Vegas Hospice booted from Medicare over ties to sanctioned provider Hoodline; by Christopher Kim; 7/29/26 OneCare Hospice, LLC has been kicked out of Medicare after a federal administrative law judge upheld a government move to cut off the Las Vegas company, not because its own claims were found fraudulent, but because of its legal ties to another Nevada hospice that had already lost its billing privileges. On top of the revocation, OneCare is staring at a 10-year Medicare reenrollment bar and a spot on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Medicare preclusion list. The decision, issued July 9 after OneCare appealed the earlier agency action, found that federal officials were within their rights to pull OneCare’s enrollment.

Why traditional primary care fails frail elders and the future need for specialized models | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Bethany Snider; 7/29/26 Traditional primary care wasn't designed for today's frail elders—and that gap may be one of healthcare's greatest challenges. As America's population ages, healthcare leaders face an urgent question: Is the traditional primary care model enough to care for frail older adults with complex medical, functional, and social needs?  In Part One of this thought-provoking conversation, Chris Comeaux welcomes Dr. Bethany Snider, Chief Medical Officer of Everent Health, to explore why the future of serious illness care requires a fundamentally different approach. Together, they unpack the emerging concept of the frail elder practice—a longitudinal, interdisciplinary model that extends beyond office visits to meet patients where they are, both physically and emotionally.

Hospice leadership in a new era of scrutinyTeleios Collaborative Network (TCN); by Melissa Calkins; 7/28/26Hospice leaders are operating in a very different environment than they were even a few years ago. ...

Public Policy Agenda & Toolkit National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care; Press Release; 5/4/26 The National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care’s Public Policy Agenda outlines a unified, consensus-driven set of priorities to strengthen palliative care and hospice for patients, families, and caregivers across the lifespan. Developed through collaboration among national member organizations, the agenda provides a coordinated framework to guide policy and advocacy efforts at both the national and state levels. It reflects shared priorities to improve access, advance quality and equity, support the workforce, and promote sustainable, value-based care.

Local nurse goes to Washington DC to meet with elected officials about hospice fraud YubaNet.com, Grass Valley, CA; by Foothills Compassionate Care; 7/22/26 Last month, at end of June, Registered Nurse, Kellie Bolle of Foothills Compassionate Care, traveled to Washington DC to meet with elected officials on the issue of fraud, waste and abuse in hospice care. ... With a rapidly escalating fraud crisis in hospice care, reputable, mission-focused organizations and providers are having to answer for a growing number of bad actors. Foothills Compassionate Care invites the public to an interactive town hall that will include: An update on national efforts to combat hospice fraud, insights from Clinical Care Manager Kellie Bolle, MSN, RN, CHPN, following her advocacy meetings in Washington, D.C., information about how to identify a reputable hospice provider, a discussion of hospice, palliative care, and the Medicare hospice benefit, and an open question-and-answer session with hospice professionals. Free and open to the public. [On Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Go to this article for their RSVP to the public.]

What does Medicare actually cover in a best-rated memory care facility?U.S. News & World Report; by Vanessa Cacers; 7/21/26 |Memory care facilities offer a safe, supportive environment for those with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, but care can be costly. Learn what memory care services Medicare will pay for. |Key Takeaways