Literature Review
All posts tagged with “Headlines.”
BREAKING NEWS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
08/02/26 at 03:55 AMBREAKING NEWS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements Federal Register; An unpublished Rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on 08/03/2026 This document is unpublished. It is scheduled to be published on 08/03/2026. Once it is published it will be available on this [linked Federal Register] page in an official form. Until then, you can download the unpublished PDF version. ... Comment: Numerous commenters, including national associations, State hospice associations, large health systems, and individual providers, expressed strong concerns that the proposed 2.4 percent FY 2027 hospice payment update is insufficient to keep pace with the actual cost of delivering high-quality hospice care. [The following tables are from this "unpublished document" from the Federal Register, "scheduled to be published on 08/03/2026."]
Opened floodgates: Why current M&A pressures favor home-based care consolidators
08/02/26 at 03:50 AMOpened floodgates: Why current M&A pressures favor home-based care consolidators Home Health Care News; by Morgan Gonzales; 7/28/26 High interest rates have slowed and complicated home-based care M&A, but they may also be creating a favorable buying opportunity for investors willing to enter the market now. Buyers able to absorb higher borrowing costs may find a slower and more complex dealmaking landscape — one where compliance has become a critical screening tool, particularly in Medicaid-funded care, according to experts speaking at Home Health Care News’ Capital+Strategy conference in March. At the same time, speakers pointed to opportunities to build regional platforms through smaller acquisitions and to capitalize on potential long-term upside in skilled home health. ... While eyeing an attractive future for home-based care investment, buyers have to keep the heightened focus on fraud, waste and abuse in mind when shopping for a potential home-based care provider.
Comparison of health care cost trajectories in the last year of life by age at death
08/02/26 at 03:45 AMThere are moments that remind you just how powerful music can be.
08/02/26 at 03:40 AMThere are moments that remind you just how powerful music can be. YouTube; by Navacare; 6/27/26There are moments that remind you just how powerful music can be. Recently, I had the privilege of attending a ceremony honoring a veteran for his service to our country. During the ceremony, Grace from AccentCare Hospice sang "I Will Always Love You." It was beautiful. It was moving. And if I'm being honest, it brought a few tears to my eyes. Not only because we were honoring someone who had given so much, but because it was also my dad's favorite song. Music has a remarkable way of connecting us to people, memories, and emotions that words alone often can't reach. For many older adults, especially those living with dementia or memory loss, music can spark recognition, comfort, and moments of connection that feel truly extraordinary. [Watch the video to the end, to hear the dad's response.]
The ASCENT Consortium - Two Requests for Applications are now open!
08/02/26 at 03:35 AMThe ASCENT Consortium - Two Requests for Applications are now open!ASCENT Consortium press release; 7/22/26The ASCENT Consortium is pleased to announce two Requests for Applications (RFA) are now open, with letters of intent due 8/10/26:
Local nurse goes to Washington DC to meet with elected officials about hospice fraud
08/02/26 at 03:30 AMLocal 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.]
At and end-of-life care home, a young cancer survivor finds his calling
08/02/26 at 03:25 AMAt and end-of-life care home, a young cancer survivor finds his calling The Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY; by Jon Harris; 7/28/26 Seated in the chapel at Sloan Comfort Care Home, 22-year-old Evan Folsom reflected on what working at the end-of-life facility has meant to him. "The Home did come at the right time for me," said Folsom, hours after finishing an overnight shift there, and a day before taking the daylong Medical College Admission Test. Folsom survived a brain tumor as a toddler and spent years recovering. That alone shaped an interest in medicine. ... His work at Sloan Comfort Care Home helped him come to terms with certain issues and fueled his interest in studying the complex moral and ethical questions that arise in medicine. So he took a "shot in the dark" and applied to Harvard Medical School's Master of Science in Bioethics program, along with a few other schools. He got into all of them but chose Harvard because Boston holds a special full-circle meaning for him. Massachusetts General Hospital, the largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, is where he received treatment as a toddler. "Harvard was specifically deep for me, because that's kind of where my journey started," he said. Folsom leaves for Boston on Aug. 1 ...
Life’s Treasures Thrift Store plans Dade City location
08/02/26 at 03:20 AMLife’s Treasures Thrift Store plans Dade City locationThe Laker Lutz News, Dade City, FL; Press Release; 7/26/26Chapters Health System, a nonprofit hospice organization, has leased a 10,000-square-foot retail space at 12709 U.S. 301 in Dade City to serve as a new Life’s Treasures Thrift Store location. The thrift store is moving from Zephyrhills to provide a more modernized shopping experience. The relocation is part of a strategic update of the health system’s thrift stores that benefit the charity grief and hospice services of HPH Hospice and LifePath Hospice, affiliates of Chapters Health System. The organization also recently leased a 10,000-square-foot thrift store location planned for The Villages.
Same team, same care, new name: interim healthcare offices in Lubbock and throughout West Texas become ExcelaCare
08/02/26 at 03:15 AMSame team, same care, new name: interim healthcare offices in Lubbock and throughout West Texas become ExcelaCare Newsnet, Lubbock, TX; by EIN Presswire; 7/27/26 A trusted provider of home health and hospice care in communities throughout West Texas, formerly known as Interim Healthcare, is officially transitioning to a new name: ExcelaCare. These local offices across the region, including Lubbock, TX and surrounding areas, will continue delivering the same patient-centered care under new branding. “While our logo and colors are changing, our ownership, management, and the local teams you have come to know and trust are not,” said the organization’s founder. ... The rebrand comes as the organization continues to pursue excellence across all its services and reflects an effort to elevate its ongoing dedication to the communities it has served for years as Interim. The local staff and day-to-day operations remain unchanged; only the name and visual identity are new.
National Alliance for Care at Home welcomes Denis Fleming Jr. as Chief Government Affairs Officer
08/02/26 at 03:10 AMNational Alliance for Care at Home welcomes Denis Fleming Jr. as Chief Government Affairs OfficerNational Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 7/23/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) today announced longtime industry leader Denis Fleming Jr. will serve as Chief Government Affairs Officer effective August 10. Fleming is a distinguished government affairs leader bringing over two decades of experience spanning key leadership roles in Congress, with state executive bodies, and major home health and hospice companies. Most recently, Fleming served as Vice President of Federal Government Affairs with United Health Group after serving 8 years as Senior Vice President & Legislative Counsel, State and Federal Affairs at LHC Group, where he led federal and state advocacy for this national home health and hospice provider.
Navigating AI & change management: the evolving landscape of leadership in the age of continuous disruption
08/02/26 at 03:05 AMNavigating AI & change management: the evolving landscape of leadership in the age of continuous disruption Recruit-Talent.com | Leadership & Management; 7/24/26|... The Dawn of AI Change Leadership: Redefining TransformationAI change leadership is defined as the practice of facilitating the adaptation of individuals, teams, and entire organizations to the relentless pace of AI-driven transformation. Unlike traditional change management, which typically focuses on discrete initiatives with defined endpoints, AI change leadership grapples with ongoing technological disruption, the dynamic evolution of workforce skills, the complex interplay of human-AI collaboration, and escalating concerns surrounding trust and ethical implications. For decades, leadership research has underscored a fundamental tension inherent in successful change: the coexistence of stability and change. ... However, AI change leadership fundamentally disrupts this established paradigm.
Private equity’s joint venture takeover of nonprofit healthcare
08/02/26 at 03:00 AMPrivate equity’s joint venture takeover of nonprofit healthcare Private Equity Stakeholder Project; Report; 7/6/26 Behind nonprofit partnerships, private equity firms are building a growing footprint across hospitals, hospice, rehabilitation, and outpatient care. Over the past decade, private equity has dramatically expanded its presence across the healthcare system. While much of the public attention has focused on traditional acquisitions of hospitals, physician practices, nursing homes, and other providers, private equity firms are increasingly pursuing another strategy: joint ventures with nonprofit health systems. PESP’s new report examines how these partnerships have become an increasingly important avenue for private equity-backed healthcare companies to expand across hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, hospice, home health, behavioral health, and other sectors.
National Alliance for Care at Home responds to FY 2027 Hospice Final Rule
07/31/26 at 03:00 AMNational 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.”
VITAS medical director: improve hospice referrals for cancer patients
07/26/26 at 03:55 AMVITAS medical director: improve hospice referrals for cancer patients Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/16/26 Hospice utilization among some cancer patients is leveling off and slowing growth, but healthcare providers and medical educators can adopt certain strategies to move the needle. This is according to Dr. Ileana Leyva, regional medical director for VITAS Healthcare. ... Neuro-degenerative, lung and cardiac diseases are gaining more prominence among hospice diagnoses. In 2024, senile degeneration of the brain was the most common terminal diagnosis among Medicare decedents at 9%, followed by Alzheimer’s at 6%, according to the National Alliance for Care at Home. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rounded out the top three at 4.2%. Lung cancer was the 11th most common diagnosis that year, at 2.1%, the highest rate for any form of cancer. Hospice News spoke with Leyva about the barriers that prevent cancer patients from accessing hospice sooner and what stakeholders can do to drive improvement.
Reporting Face-to-Face encounter conducted by a hospice physician or hospice nurse practitioner for recertification via telecommunications technology on hospice claims, effective January 1, 2027
07/26/26 at 03:50 AMReporting Face-to-Face encounter conducted by a hospice physician or hospice nurse practitioner for recertification via telecommunications technology on hospice claims, effective January 1, 2027 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services |CMS; CMS Manual System, Change Request 14495; 7/10/26 Effective January 1,2027, face-to-face encounters using telecommunications must be reported using a modifier or G code on the hospice claim. Guidance was released on July 10, 2026 and can be found in CR 14495 and MM14495.
Restaurant owner shelves Easter plans to fulfill dying man's last wish to feed his hospice nurses
07/26/26 at 03:45 AMRestaurant owner shelves Easter plans to fulfill dying man's last wish to feed his hospice nurses Daily Good; by Good News Network; 4/7/26 Frank Ozimek spent his final days in hospice care, but what occupied his mind wasn't his own suffering -- it was how to thank the nurses who had tended to him with such devotion. When his brother Ken struggled to find a restaurant open on Easter to fulfill Frank's wish to feed the hospice staff, Tommy Milani, owner of a local pizza shop, didn't hesitate: "Absolutely, whatever you need, Ken." Milani set aside his holiday plans and delivered pizzas to the entire nursing staff, completing a circle of care that began with strangers and ended with gratitude. In his last act, Frank found a way to say what perhaps mattered most -- that he had seen the kindness given to him, and wanted to give it back.
New easy-to-use web edition: A history of care - 250 years of American need, service and hope
07/26/26 at 03:40 AM“It wasn’t just a lyric — it was him”
07/26/26 at 03:35 AM“It wasn’t just a lyric — it was him” Their Life Song; personal story by Amber Gould, original music about her father by Johnny Warren; 7/15/26Grief doesn’t follow a timeline. Amber Gould knows this well. “There are little everyday moments that remind me of him,” she says. “Whether it’s a familiar place, a scent, or a memory that suddenly comes back, he’s still a part of my daily life. I couldn’t think of a better way to honor those memories and feel connected to him than through music.” That's where Johnny Warren and Their Life Song come in. After Amber responded to Johnny's "remembering" questions about her dad, Johnny--owner of Their Life Song--wrote a deeply personal song about him. Upon turning her memories into song, what Amber found wasn’t closure — it was connection. Editor's Note: Click here for Johnny's tender song about Amber's dad, "The River You Showed Me."
This global healthcare lesson could change America | part one
07/26/26 at 03:30 AMThis global healthcare lesson could change America | part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Dr. Mark Stoltenberg; 7/22/26 Some of the most innovative solutions to America's healthcare challenges aren't being developed in the world's wealthiest hospitals—they're emerging from communities with the fewest resources. What can American healthcare learn from global healthcare? In our latest episode, Dr. Mark Stoltenberg, Harvard Medical School professor and Massachusetts General Hospital physician, joins Chris Comeaux to explore global healthcare, palliative care, hospice leadership, healthcare innovation, and the future of serious illness care in America. ... Drawing from his work leading global palliative care programs throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and other underserved regions, he shares how resource-limited healthcare systems are pioneering solutions that can improve American healthcare, strengthen the healthcare workforce, and restore compassionate, person-centered care.
HHS pausing $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California, Minnesota over fraud
07/26/26 at 03:25 AMHHS pausing $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California, Minnesota over fraud LI; by Mary Chastain; 7/21/26 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have paused more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota due to fraud concerns. “That includes more than $887 million for California and over $200 million for Minnesota,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at a press conference. “If those states want that money, they need to provide documentation that these payments are legitimate.”
Crushing and flexing: CMS proposes to expand its discretion to deny and revoke Medicare enrollment
07/26/26 at 03:20 AMCrushing and flexing: CMS proposes to expand its discretion to deny and revoke Medicare enrollment The National Law Review; by Karen S. Lovitch, Jane Haviland, Mintz; 7/14/26 ... Currently, CMS’s revocation authority allows it to revoke enrollment prospectively following notice to the Provider. Following revocation, the Provider is no longer allowed to bill Medicare. CMS’s proposal would not only make the revocation date retroactive to the date of alleged noncompliance (or other triggering event) but would also allow CMS to claw back payments to the retroactive revocation date. CMS estimates approximately $82 million in annual savings from this proposal, clearly indicating that CMS views it as a high-impact program integrity measure. CMS’s proposal is also notable because, if finalized, it would give CMS greater flexibility to address suspected fraud without considering criteria that might otherwise constrain its actions. For example: ...
“I wish to be in the same room as my wife so I can hold her hand”: CalvertHealth grants husband’s final wish
07/26/26 at 03:15 AM“I wish to be in the same room as my wife so I can hold her hand”: CalvertHealth grants husband’s final wishThe Baynet, Calvert County, MD; by CalvertHealth; 7/19/26 It was one final wish Phillip “Phil” Pfanschmidt shared after learning he had terminal cancer. Just days earlier, his wife of more than 66 years, Joyce “Joy” Pfanschmidt, had entered hospice care at CalvertHealth Medical Center. Now, Phil had entered hospice as well. When members of the palliative care team asked about his wishes, he didn’t hesitate. He wanted to be with Joy.Caregivers across CalvertHealth worked together to make that wish a reality. Phil was reunited with Joy, and the couple spent precious moments together, hand in hand. Less than two hours later, Joy peacefully passed away with her hand resting on Phil’s arm. ...In his autobiography, Born to Live, Phil reflected on what mattered most. “For the last 64 years [as of 2024], every morning when I wake up and every evening before I go to sleep, I give thanks for the woman sleeping beside me.” ... Phil passed away on Friday, July 10, just nine days after Joy.
Restarting medications after deprescribing in adults discharged from hospital to skilled nursing
07/26/26 at 03:10 AMRestarting medications after deprescribing in adults discharged from hospital to skilled nursingJAMA Network Open; by Thomas J. Reese, Sandra F. Simmons, Eduard E. Vasilevskis, Emily K. Hollingsworth, Matthew S. Shotwell, Amanda S. Mixon; 6/26Question: Among older adults discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) after hospital-initiated deprescribing, what is the frequency and timing of medication restarts ...? In this cohort study analyzing data from 2 randomized trials with a total of 598 participants, 15.9% of deprescribed medications were restarted. Higher health literacy and longer intervention exposure were associated with fewer restarts, whereas more prescribers, higher number of baseline medications, and fewer pharmacies were associated with medication restarts; restart during the SNF stay was associated with greater 90-day hospital readmissions. Conclusions: In this cohort study, approximately 1 in 6 deprescribed medications were restarted within 90 days, with nearly half occurring soon after SNF discharge. Patient factors and markers of care fragmentation were associated with restart, suggesting that enhancing transitional care and postdischarge support may improve the durability of hospital-initiated deprescribing.
Toward home cancer care—Reducing time toxicity for the right patients with prostate cancer
07/26/26 at 03:05 AMToward home cancer care—Reducing time toxicity for the right patients with prostate cancerJAMA Network Open; by David-Dan Nguyen, Bruce L. Jacobs; 6/26Cancer care imposes a substantial burden, not only through the diagnosis itself and treatment-related adverse effects but also through the time spent traveling to appointments, waiting, and receiving care. Even in advanced stages of prostate cancer, many patients live for years with a chronic disease trajectory that requires ongoing monitoring, repeated visits, and long-term systemic therapy. Bange and colleagues ask whether some of this burden can be alleviated by moving elements of care from the cancer center into patients’ homes through an enhanced telehealth model for patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy. Their intervention is distinctive in combining several strategies that have individually shown promise, including paired telehealth visits with home-based phlebotomy, remote blood pressure monitoring, and at-home injections. Their central finding is encouraging: this model appeared both feasible and highly acceptable to patients and clinicians.
When technology meets its limits: Integrating Medical Aid in Dying with withdrawal of a left ventricular assist device
07/26/26 at 03:00 AMWhen technology meets its limits: Integrating Medical Aid in Dying with withdrawal of a left ventricular assist deviceCureus; by Yvette Vieira, Paola Reveco; 6/26As outcomes improve and patients [with advanced heart failure] live longer with [surgically implanted left ventricular assist devices], ... clinicians across disciplines are increasingly confronted with the complex clinical, ethical, and practical challenges that arise when life-sustaining therapy is dependent on implanted technology, particularly in the context of end-of-life decision-making. We present a case report of a 76-year-old man with advanced heart failure supported by an implanted cardiac pump [who wanted to pursue] ... medical aid in dying ... [in his own home] ... Deactivating a cardiac assist pump typically occurs in a hospital with intravenous sedation for the abrupt heart failure symptoms that can occur when the pump is turned off. An end-of-life care navigator and a carefully assembled interdisciplinary team providing medical aid in dying in conjunction with pump deactivation achieved the patient’s home death at his selected date. Coordinating implanted cardiac device withdrawal with medical aid in dying is clinically achievable, ethically defensible, and legally sound. Healthcare systems must develop written protocols, train hospice providers, provide anticipatory counseling, fund necessary infrastructure, and support this end-of-life care.