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All posts tagged with “Headlines.”
Why joint ventures may outpace M&A during the CMS home health enrollment moratorium
07/19/26 at 03:00 AMWhy joint ventures may outpace M&A during the CMS home health enrollment moratorium Home Health Care News; by MK Manoylov; 7/14/26 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) six-month moratorium on new Medicare home health enrollments limits one pathway for providers to scale, but operators can still expand organically and through M&A. Growth-minded operators can increase census, improve workforce availability, acquire other businesses and forge joint ventures, home health industry insiders said during a recent Home Health Care News webinar. Organic growth can mean improving conversion rates from referrals, expanding partnerships and developing operations, said Andwell Health Partners CEO Ken Albert.
[France] French MPs approve assisted dying law with strict rules after years of argument
07/17/26 at 03:00 AMFrench MPs approve assisted dying law with strict rules after years of argument BBC; by Paul Kirby; 7/15/26 France's National Assembly has voted to create a right to assisted dying under strict conditions, after years of debate and changes to the proposals. MPs voted by 291 to 241 to back the bill, which had been rejected three times by the upper house of parliament, the Senate. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to refer parts of the bill to France's Constitutional Council for examination before it can become law. It would allow assisted dying for French adults with a "serious and incurable" life-threatening illness "in an advanced or terminal stage". The illness would need to leave them in constant physical or psychological suffering that is unbearable or resistant to treatment. [Read more terms] ... Wednesday's vote means France could join several other European countries that have decriminalised assisted dying in some form. A similarly lengthy debate has been taking place in the UK. A bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales stalled earlier this year and is set to return to Parliament in September.
Savings in Medicare hospice payments for care provided in nursing homes
07/16/26 at 03:00 AMSavings in Medicare hospice payments for care provided in nursing homes U.S. HHS-OIG; Project Number OEI-02-26-00180; 7/15/26 The fixed daily rates that Medicare pays hospices for routine home care provided in a nursing home include personal care services. However, nursing homes are already required to provide personal care services to their residents. Paying the hospice the full routine home care rate that covers personal care services when these services are already required from the nursing home can undermine the efficiency of Medicare payments and add to the incentives that bad actors have to exploit the program. This review will determine Medicare payments for routine home care provided to hospice beneficiaries in nursing homes, estimate potential cost savings from reducing the payment to address the inefficiency in the payment structure, and examine practices of hospices with a high percentage of their beneficiaries in nursing homes.
Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
07/16/26 at 03:00 AMCalendar Year (CY) 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule CMS Newsroom; Fact Sheet; 7/14/26 paired with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CMS CY 2027 Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule, 7/16/26; summary by guest editor Judi Lund Person On July 14, 2026, the Federal Register posted the CY 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule – CMS-1848-P. The CMS Fact Sheet on the proposed rule can be found here. While the proposed rule is 1,592 pages, there are two items of note to hospice and palliative care readers: 1) Supporting Beneficiaries Planning for Future Medical Decisions.CMS is proposing to create two new HCPCS codes to describe advance care planning (ACP) services furnished by clinical staff under the direct supervision of the billing physician or other practitioner. These new codes will more accurately distinguish and value the work done by billing practitioners from time spent by their clinical staff providing ACP services. We are further proposing that the existing ACP CPT codes 99497 and 99498 would only be used to report time personally spent by the billing practitioner. 2) RFI on Community-based Palliative Care, asking questions on eligibility for serious illness care and palliative care, the future of care management services and advanced primary care management.
California adopts sweeping emergency regulations for hospice providers: what the new rules require and how to prepare
07/14/26 at 03:00 AMCalifornia adopts sweeping emergency regulations for hospice providers: what the new rules require and how to prepare JD Supra; by Epstein Becker & Green; 7/13/26 On June 22, 2026, emergency regulations promulgated by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and codified at Title 22, California Code of Regulations, sections 74800 through 74908, took effect. The emergency regulations establish detailed licensing, operational, staffing, and governance standards for hospice agencies. This new regulatory framework applies immediately to both existing hospice licensees and applicants for initial licensure. Although the emergency regulations are temporary, CDPH has indicated that it intends to make them permanent.
CMS proposes expanded authority to revoke Medicare privileges
07/12/26 at 03:50 AMCMS proposes expanded authority to revoke Medicare privileges TechTarget; by Jacqueline LaPointe; 7/6/26 CMS proposes expanding its authority to revoke Medicare providers in fraud crackdown, while updating home health payments with a 2.4% increase and continued PDGM adjustments. The Trump administration wants to double down on its healthcare fraud, waste and abuse crackdown. This time, policymakers are seeking to expand CMS' powers to remove providers from Medicare -- a move that the agency says will save taxpayers about $82 million a year. The added capabilities are part of the Calendar Year 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule (CMS-1844-P), which CMS released ahead of the July 4th weekend.
False Claims Act insights - how hospice fraud impacts legitimate providers
07/12/26 at 03:45 AMFalse Claims Act insights - how hospice fraud impacts legitimate providers Hospice Insights Podcast; by Husch Blackwell LLP; 7/6/26 Host Jonathan Porter welcomes Bryan Nowicki, leader of Husch Blackwell’s hospice practice group and host of the Hospice Insights podcast, to discuss the recent wave of hospice fraud enforcement. With hospice fraud dominating headlines in recent months, Bryan shares insights on how massive fraud schemes are impacting the industry and why legitimate providers face collateral damage.
The hidden healthcare workforce: why family caregivers are essential to the future of care
07/12/26 at 03:40 AMThe hidden healthcare workforce: why family caregivers are essential to the future of care Healthcare Business Today; by Lance A. Slatton; 7/7/26 Healthcare leaders across the United States are confronting a convergence of challenges unlike any in recent memory. Workforce shortages, rising healthcare costs, increasing patient complexity, chronic disease management, and a rapidly aging population are placing unprecedented demands on healthcare systems. As organizations search for solutions to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and maintain quality of care, one of the most important components of the healthcare ecosystem continues to be overlooked. Family caregivers. ... In many cases, they serve as the connective tissue holding an entire care plan together.
Hospice in the spotlight – audits, PEPPER, and patient autonomy
07/12/26 at 03:35 AMHospice in the spotlight – audits, PEPPER, and patient autonomy RACmonitor; by Ronald Hirsch, MD, FACP, ACPA-C, CHCQM, CHRI; 7/1/26 .. why talk hospice now? Because it seems to be hospice’s time to be in the spotlight. ... Last week you likely heard about a big U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) $6.5 billion fraud takedown. Included in that was another hospice fraud scheme that included a funeral home employee who sold information on recently deceased people to a fraudster who then submitted claims for hospice services that were never provided. ...Then, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) for hospice organizations. And to top it off, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an audit of hospice claims finding that Medicare paid over $255 million for patients who were not eligible for hospice care. ...
Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont announces Dr. Nancy Hart Wicker as chief executive officer and chief medical officer
07/12/26 at 03:30 AMHospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont announces Dr. Nancy Hart Wicker as chief executive officer and chief medical officer Index Journal; by Staff Writer; 7/2/26Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont [Charlottesville, VA] has appointed Nancy Hart Wicker, MD, FAAHPM, as chief executive officer and chief medical officer, effective immediately. Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont is the only locally governed, nonprofit hospice in the region with a CMS five-star rating, indicating the highest quality of care. The organization brings 45 years of service, clinical expertise, and community-based decision-making from its clinical staff, leadership, and volunteer board of directors.
Croí Health’s “The 12” gala raises more than $700,000 for hospice and home healthcare
07/12/26 at 03:25 AMCroí Health’s “The 12” gala raises more than $700,000 for hospice and home healthcare MassNonprofitNews; Press Release; 7/6/26 Croí Health’s (formerly NVNA and Hospice) annual The 12 gala raised more than $700,000 to support hospice and home health care, the largest amount in the event’s 12-year history. Held on June 17th at the Pat Roche Hospice Home in Hingham, Croí welcomed hundreds of guests under a massive tent. The fundraiser unites community leaders, donors, and sponsors around a shared mission: ensuring no patient in need is turned away for financial reasons. Named for the Hospice Home’s original 12 private resident rooms, The 12 has become an annual tradition for South Shore philanthropists since its inception in 2015. Guests gather just steps away from the rooms where patients receive end-of-life care, making for a deeply reflective evening.
Medicare Advantage insurers deny prior authorization requests for post acute care at substantially higher rates than the overall denial rate
07/12/26 at 03:20 AMMedicare Advantage insurers deny prior authorization requests for post acute care at substantially higher rates than the overall denial rate KFF; by Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Meredith Freed, and Juliette Cubanski; 7/6/26 The OIG recently published two reports finding that Medicare Advantage insurers deny more than half of all prior authorization requests for the most expensive types of post-acute care, including 65% of requests for stays in long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) and 54% of requests for stays in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), as well as 12% of requests for stays in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs).
Melanie Ramey obituary
07/12/26 at 03:15 AMMelanie Ramey obituaryPersonal Communication; by Cordt T. Kassner; 7/2/26Melanie Ramey, former CEO of the Hospice Organizations and Palliative Experts of Wisconsin, died on June 8, 2026, at the age of 87. She will be remembered for her fierce advocacy, brilliant mind, compassionate heart, and (in)famous humor.
[Canada] Palliative care is a fundamental human right
07/12/26 at 03:10 AM[Canada] Palliative care is a fundamental human right TroyMedia; by Rebecca Vachon; 7/6/26 ... Despite the fact that everyone dies, and despite the fact that something like 180,000 Canadians and their families interact with some form of end-of-life care in a year, I keep confronting the perception that palliative care is a niche issue, not one of broad interest. But this reaction only underscores the poll's findings: namely that many Canadians continue to misunderstnad what palliative care is and isn't. On a more positive note, however, when Canadians do understand it, palliative care is, in fact, identified as a priority issue.
Dignity therapy: What matters most in end-of-life care?
07/12/26 at 03:05 AMDignity 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.
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07/12/26 at 03:00 AMExecutive Personnel Changes - 6/26/26
07/05/26 at 03:55 AMExecutive Personnel Changes - 6/26/26
Indiana's Saint Anne eldercare campus opens hospice suites to provide holistic end-of-life care
07/05/26 at 03:50 AMIndiana's Saint Anne eldercare campus opens hospice suites to provide holistic end-of-life care Catholic Health World; by Julie Minda; 6/30/16 Saint Anne Communities, an eldercare campus in northeast Indiana, has opened a five-suite wing that offers people at the end of life holistic care and services. In the Saint Joseph Hospice Suites, staff provide medical, spiritual and emotional care to residents as well as support to their loved ones. Facility leaders said Saint Anne designed the suites to have a homelike feel. They said a key priority is to surround the residents and their loved ones with prayer, comfort and dignity.
Two Ann Arbor nurses who transformed how people die mentored her. Then, she became their caregiver.
07/05/26 at 03:45 AMTwo 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.
Burke County hospice provider responds to national concerns over hospice industry
07/05/26 at 03:40 AMBurke County hospice provider responds to national concerns over hospice industry The Paper, Morganton, NC; by Allen VanNoppen; 5/16/26 As questions continue nationwide about hospice oversight and Medicare abuse, leaders at Burke County’s AMOREM say nonprofit hospice providers offer a different model centered on community care rather than profits. AMOREM emphasized the distinction between nonprofit and for-profit hospice organizations, arguing that ownership structure directly affects patient care and family experience at the end of life, the nonprofit’s leaders said. The statement comes amid increased national attention on reports of misuse of the Medicare Hospice Benefit in some parts of the country.
O&I Subcommittee holds hearing with state Medicaid directors as part of committee’s extensive probe into Medicaid programs nationwide
07/05/26 at 03:35 AMO&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.
HMN 2026: How AI in nursing raises questions about safety, ethics, and human care
07/05/26 at 03:30 AMHMN 2026: How AI in nursing raises questions about safety, ethics, and human care Health Medicine Network; by University of Pennsylvania, George Demiris et al; 6/26/26 As artificial intelligence systems spread through hospitals and clinics, a growing debate is emerging over whether the technology will ultimately strengthen nursing care—or gradually replace parts of it. That tension is at the center of a new University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing report, “Artificial Intelligence and Nursing Science: Opportunities, Challenges, Implications, and Guidelines,” published in Nursing Outlook. The paper warns that while AI could reduce paperwork and improve patient monitoring, it also raises concerns about bias, accountability, patient privacy and whether hospitals may view some nursing functions as replaceable.
Aroostook House of Comfort hosts 13th Annual Golf Classic
07/05/26 at 03:25 AMAroostook 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.
New Day CEO Kathy Poland pumps brakes on acquisitions, prioritizes operations
07/05/26 at 03:20 AMNew Day CEO Kathy Poland pumps brakes on acquisitions, prioritizes operations Home Health Care News; by MK Manoylov; 6/29/26 With 16 acquisitions since 2020, New Day is shifting focus from aggressive M&A activity toward tighter operational discipline. That’s the strategy of Kathy Poland, who stepped in as interim CEO following the death of New Day’s G. Scott Herman in February. She became permanent CEO on June 18, after serving as the firm’s chief operating officer for over four years. ... Poland spoke with Home Health Care News to discuss her transition into permanent CEO, what difficulties she sees in the forthcoming year, New Day’s growth strategies and what she’s learned as a health care industry veteran for the past 25 years.
VNA Hops for Hospice brings community together in support of compassionate care
07/05/26 at 03:15 AMVNA 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.