Literature Review

4 hospice buyers acquire Traditions Health Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/3/25 Traditions Health has been acquired by four hospice providers, each dividing the company’s assets across their geographic footprints. The Care Team, VitalCaring, LifeCare Home Health Family and Mission Healthcare have each purchased a portion of Traditions Health’s locations. Financial terms of these transactions are undisclosed. Traditions was formerly a portfolio company of the private equity firm Dorilton Capital Partners. 

Medicare's AI prior authorization pilot sparks backlash over incentives to deny care Complete AI Training | Insurance; by Joren Erne; 12/7/25 CMS will pilot AI prior auth in traditional Medicare across AZ, NJ, OH, OK, TX, WA through 2031. Expect tougher reviews, vendor incentives, and pushback on denials and delays. ... For insurance professionals, this is a signal: CMS is importing private-plan utilization tactics into fee-for-service Medicare, with financial incentives tied to denial-driven cost savings. Expect policy, operations, and provider relations to feel it. 

Hospice margins dropping despite utilization gains Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/9/25 Hospice margins are falling despite record-high utilization, according to data from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). The commission has released its draft recommendations to Congress, repeating its annual call to eliminate hospice payment rate increases in future years. “For fiscal year, 2027, Congress should eliminate the update to the 2026 Medicare base payment rate for hospice,” MedPAC indicated in its draft recommendations. ... The average Medicare fee-for-service margin for hospices fell to 8% in 2023, down from 9.8% in 2022 and 14.2% in 2020, according to MedPAC. Among for-profit providers, the average 2023 margin was 13.7%, whereas nonprofits in aggregate showed a loss at -1.3%. These numbers exclude cap overpayments and non-reimbursible costs. These declines occurred during a time of record-breaking demand. Hospice utilization in 2024 reached the highest rate it has ever seen at 53%, MedPAC reported. More than 1.8 million Medicare decedents received hospice care that year for a total of 148 million days of service. [MedPAC 12/5/25 report here.]

Poured out and given: The lived experience of self-care among hospice nurses in rural Appalachia Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; by Amanda Camden, Sandra P Thomas, Lisa C Lindley, Lisa Davenport, Ali Winters; 12/5/25, Online ahead of print Hospice nurses encounter profound challenges that make self-care both essential and deeply complex. ... The findings suggest that practicing self-care must be augmented by other actions such as systemic changes, caseload limits, leadership training, and structured emotional support systems. This study highlights the urgent need for health care systems to prioritize hospice nurses' well-being and help sustain compassionate nursing care.

AARP: 55 percent of family caregivers use tech to coordinate care McKnights Home Care; by Donna Shryer; 12/9/25 Technology adoption is surging on both sides of the caregiving equation. AARP estimates there are about 63 million unpaid caregivers nationwide, and among those caregivers age 50 and older, 55% now use one or more digital tools to manage routines, coordinate care or track health. Among all adults age 50+ (unpaid caregivers and care recipients), 78% say they rely on technology to stay connected with friends and family, according to AARP’s newly released 2026 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus report.Guest Editor's Note, by Judi Lund Person: As AARP points out, today’s caregivers are increasingly likely to use technology to coordinate care for their loved ones. Are hospice and palliative care providers up to the challenge – if your plumber can notify you that they are 15 minutes away, is there technology in place that will alert the caregiver that the hospice nurse or aide is 15 minutes away? How are you equipping your care teams to communicate with caregivers effectively, efficiently, and securely? Remember, a CAHPS Hospice question is, "How often did the hospice team let you know when they would arrive to care for your family member?"

Healthcare fraud enforcement trends to expect in 2026 JD Supra; by Arnall Golden Gregory; 12/8/25Key Takeaways

CHAP celebrates 60 years in home-based care Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP); email and website; 12/5/25 This year, CHAP marked a milestone that speaks volumes about our legacy and our future: our Diamond Jubilee. Sixty years of progress, partnership, and innovation came to life as our incredible team gathered to celebrate not just an anniversary, but the people who make our mission possible every day. It was a moment to honor the tradition that began in 1965 and continues to shape home-based care across the nation; a tradition built on excellence, compassion, and a shared commitment to the providers we serve. As we reflected on six decades of impact, the celebration reminded us of something even more powerful: the strength of our present and the promise of what’s next.Editor's Note: Hospice & Palliative Care Today celebrates CHAP immeasureable contributions to improving patient / caregiver / family care, staff education and standards, organizational systems, and more!

Local hospice offers support for grieving families on Thanksgiving ABC News 7, Amarillo, TX; by Aby Molina; 11/27/25 As families gather for Thanksgiving, the holiday can be particularly painful for those who have lost a loved one. BSA Hospice of the Southwest is offering a place for empathy and a Thanksgiving gathering to support those in mourning. ... BSA Hospice has hosted this event for several years, providing extra support during this time of year. Lindsey Wyatt, bereavement coordinator at BSA Hospice, expressed excitement about hosting the event. "We're just really excited to host, to provide an opportunity and a warm, safe place for people to fellowship and come together who have experienced that loss. ... "

Memorial bricks at William Childs Hospice House pave way for comfort, community and healing Space Coast Daily, Palm Bay, FL; by Space Coast Daily; 11/29/25 Under a beautiful November sky, more than 200 family members and friends gathered on a recent Saturday morning in front of the Butterfly Garden, nestled on the grounds of the William Childs Hospice House. Attendees joined the Health First Foundation’s annual Brick Paver Dedication Ceremony, a heartfelt tradition held each November during National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. ... One such brick was in honor of Arthur “Lou” Larmay, 94, who passed in July while in Hospice care. During his final weeks, Lou was commended by Hospice with a ceremony honoring his military service – and his days as a jazz musician. Gathering in the garden after his passing was just what his mourning loved ones needed.

UConn Health’s palliative care growth continues: Expanding staff and services in both hospital and outpatient settings UConn; by Chris DeFrancesco; 12/1/25 Health’s expanded palliative care services continue to grow, spanning hospital patients to ambulatory patients, with or without cancer. Palliative care referrals in the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center are up 31% from last year, and 600% since inception in 2017. Referrals for inpatient palliative care consultations, which started two years ago, are up 35% from last year. A year ago, Dr. Mary Buss and Dr. Germaine Soliman established an outpatient palliative care clinic for patients dealing with conditions other than cancer. Since opening, it has seen more than 130 patients over nearly 450 visits.

'Rehabbed to death’: Bringing more palliative, hospice care to SNFs Hospice News; by Kristin Easterling; 11/26/25 Patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) can become trapped in a “rehabbed to death” cycle that could be prevented with better access to palliative care and hospice. The Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) used by SNFs could be harnessed to enable more palliative care and earlier admission to hospice, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.Editor's Note: Click below for the study and related articles we've posted.

National Alliance for Care at Home: CMS modifies Final Payment Rule based on stakeholder feedback, but 1.3% cut still undermines access National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 11/28/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) today acknowledged that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made significant adjustments in the Home Health Perspective Payment System (HH PPS) Final Rule for CY 2026 in response to community concerns regarding patient access and data integrity. However, the Alliance remains concerned that any payment cut for home health providers will continue to compromise access for the millions of Medicare beneficiaries who rely on these services to age and recover from illness or injury safely at home.