Literature Review

Dignity therapy: What matters most in end-of-life care? Medscape; by Irene Salvetti, MD; 7/7/26 ... Many patients, especially in advanced stages of illness, express the fear of no longer being themselves, of becoming a burden, or of losing their sense of meaning, role, and memory. In these experiences, suffering is not merely physical but also related to identity, relationships, and spirituality. The way patients perceive themselves as viewed by others is an important determinant of their sense of dignity. Dignity therapy was developed to give voice to this often-overlooked aspect of the experience of illness. ...  Harvey Max Chochinov introduced dignity therapy as a brief psychotherapeutic intervention for individuals with advanced or terminal illness, with the goal of preserving a sense of personal dignity during times of frailty, dependence, and the approach of death.

Executive Personnel Changes - 6/26/26

Two Ann Arbor nurses who transformed how people die mentored her. Then, she became their caregiver.MLive.com, Ann Arbor, MI; by Jennifer Eberback; 6/28/26 For in-home private caregiver Kathy Hopps, caring for two trailblazers who helped revolutionize in-home nursing and hospice care in their final days of life brought her journey full circle. Hopps cared for Ingrid Deininger, who co-founded Individualized Home Nursing Care (IHNC) in Ann Arbor in the early 1980s when hospice and in-home care did not yet have the presence in the U.S. as it does today. ... Now she cares for Lois Jelneck, another IHNC founder who is currently under hospice care at the age of 97.

O&I Subcommittee holds hearing with state Medicaid directors as part of committee’s extensive probe into Medicaid programs nationwide U.S. Energy & Commerce, Chairman Brett Guthrie, Washington, DC; Press Release; 6/25/26 [On Thursday June 25th], Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, led a hearing titled State Medicaid Program Integrity: Examining Fraud Risks and Oversight Deficiencies. “Let me be clear: fraud is not isolated to these states. As we discussed in two previous hearings before this Subcommittee, Medicaid fraud is a real problem. It happens in every single state, red and blue, and has been harming patients and draining taxpayer resources for decades,” said Chairman Joyce. “It is no longer sufficient to do the bare minimum. States must rise to the occasion and tackle fraud head-on. Our Medicaid program and the patients that rely on it to be healthy depend on it.”Watch the full hearing here.

Aroostook House of Comfort hosts 13th Annual Golf Classic  Pulse, Presque Isle, ME; 6/28/26 The Aroostook Hospice Foundation proudly hosted its 13th Annual Golf Classic on Saturday, June 20 at the Presque Isle Country Club, raising approximately $96,000 to support the Aroostook House of Comfort. The tournament brought together an incredible show of community support, with 161 sponsors, 45 teams, 38 raffle and prize donors, 13 in-kind donors and 31 volunteers helping make this year’s event another tremendous success.

VNA Hops for Hospice brings community together in support of compassionate care GreatNews.Life, Valparaiso, IN; by Maxwell Barath; 6/29/26 On Saturday, June 27, more than 250 guests and over 60 dedicated volunteers gathered at the Porter County Expo Center for VNA Hospice NWI’s sixth annual Hops for Hospice, an afternoon celebrating local craft beverages, delicious food, live music, and a shared commitment to compassionate hospice care. The Expo Center was filled with energy as attendees sampled offerings from dozens of regional breweries, wineries, and beverage vendors while enjoying live performances by Bryan Elliott and Duke Tumatoe, whose music provided the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon of community, conversation, and giving back.

CMS Posts the FY 2027 Home Health PPS Rate Update and Quality Reporting Proposed RuleHospiceConsultant.com; by Guest Editor Judi Lund Person; 7/1/26On July 1, 2026, the FY 2027 Home Health proposed rule was posted in the Federal Register. Among the proposals included in this proposed rule includes a proposal to promote access to and use of community-based palliative care services through the Medicare home health benefit. In the proposed rule’s fact sheet, CMS states that “skilled palliative care services can be furnished and billed under existing Medicare home health benefits for eligible patients with serious illnesses. The agency emphasizes that palliative care under the home health benefit is separate from hospice care and may support patients earlier in the course of serious illness.  Comments on the proposed rule are due on August 31, 2026.

The Alliance responds to the CY 2027 Home Health Proposed Rule National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA; Press Release; 7/1/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) today responded to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System Proposed rule. CMS proposes an overall increase of 2.4% or $420 million in payments to home health agencies for 2027, a positive step made possible in part by the Alliance’s ongoing advocacy for the sustainability of the home health benefit. However, the application of a 3.0% temporary adjustment continues to be of concern and could jeopardize access to care in the home. 

Senators Hassan, Scott introduce bipartisan bill to establish www.ReportScams.Gov, first central portal for Americans to report scams and get help Maggie Hassan, US Senator for New Hampshire, Washington, DC; Press Release; 6/15/26 U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation to establish the first central portal for Americans to report scams and get the help they need from law enforcement and federal agencies. The ReportScams.gov Act will establish a comprehensive Federal Scams Action Plan and create a website – www.ReportScams.gov – to serve as a central location for federal scams reporting, information, and assistance. “Today, with no central hub to combat scams, Americans are forced to navigate a maze of agencies and websites when they want to report a scam and get help. ...” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan bill will establish a comprehensive, unified plan to thwart scammers and provide consumers with one clear user-friendly portal where they can report scams and alert law enforcement.”

Seniors stitch quilts for hospice patients, turning personal grief into community giving WTXL-27 ABC, Tallahassee, FL; by Tatyana Purifoy; 6/19/26 A group of seniors at the Gadsden County Senior Center is turning thread, fabric, and friendship into comfort for others — forming a quilting club that creates handmade quilts donated to local hospice patients. ... For Rose Jackson, the project is personal. She was eager to partner with hospice because of the care and support her family received when her mother passed away. ... Member Ora Green says the project has given the group more than just something to do. Green is 96 years old and began her quilting journey at age 10. She says the club has given members an opportunity to use their talents to help others.

Five takeaways: Star investigation into alleged Southern Arizona 'cult' Tuscon.com, Tuscon, AZ; by Tim Stellar; 6/18/26 An Arizona Daily Star investigation found that a Southern Arizona religious group is making millions per year from its hospice in Tucson and Tubac, while former members complain the group forces members to work for free, including at that hospice. Former members interviewed described the Global Community Communications Alliance as a "cult," and court filings call it a high-control religious group with a closed campus. Here are five takeaways from the investigation:

Haven Hospice Attic Resale Store celebrates grand opening in Chiefland Levy Citizen, Chiefland, FL; by Antoinette Meyer; 6/22/26 The new Haven Hospice Attic Resale Store in Chiefland welcomed hundreds of visitors during its grand opening celebration June 19 and 20, marking the beginning of a new community-focused retail location that supports Haven Hospice programs and services. The two-day event kicked off Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held in partnership with the Chiefland Area Chamber of Commerce ... Saturday’s grand opening celebration continued with local retail and food vendors ... According to Haven Hospice Director of Retail Operations Clay Dzioba, the event drew strong support from across the tri-county area.