Literature Review

Hospice Benefit Policy Manual updates related to the addition of Marriage and Family Therapists or Mental Health Counselors to the Hospice Interdisciplinary TeamCMS; 1/22/24Change Request 13437 (PDF) purpose is to manualize changes to the hospice interdisciplinary group (IDG) to include Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) or Mental Health Counselors (MHCs). Publisher's note: Also see CMS Hospice Open Door Forum (November 29, 2023) Q&A.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issues rule: Medicare Program; Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Home Health (HH) Prospective Payment System rate update; HH Quality Reporting Program requirements; HH ...Department of Health and Human Services, by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; 1/31/24SUMMARY: This document corrects technical errors in the final rule that appeared in the November 13, 2023 Federal Register titled "Medicare Program; Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Home Health (HH) Prospective Payment System Rate Update; HH Quality Reporting Program Requirements; HH Value-Based Purchasing Expanded Model Requirements; Home Intravenous Immune Globulin Items and Services; Hospice Informal Dispute Resolution and Special Focus Program Requirements, Certain Requirements for Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics and Orthotics Supplies; and Provider and Supplier Enrollment Requirements'' (referred to hereafter as the "CY 2024 HH PPS final rule"). Effective date: This correcting document is effective January 31, 2024

Top 5 digital health priorities for health systemsBecker's Health IT, by Giles Bruce; 1/31/24Nearly two-thirds of health system C-suite leaders say digital health is easing access to care, though using it to improve patient experience has fallen as a tech priority for executives, a new study found. ... [According] to the Jan. 22 report from management consultant Sage Growth Partners ... [here are] the top five digital health priorities for the next 12 months, per the survey of 108 hospital and health system C-suite executives:

Aging Media Network, a WTWH Healthcare Company, announces the Frontline Honors Class of 2023Home Health Care News, by Jessica Longly; 1/30/24Aging Media Network, a WTWH Healthcare company, is proud to announce the Frontline Honors Class of 2023. With nominations in the categories of Behavioral Health, Home Health & Home Care, Hospice & Palliative Care, Senior Housing & Senior Living, and Skilled Nursing (SNF), the program showcases exemplary character and performance of frontline workers across the care continuum.

As denials climb, MACPAC approves recommendations for managed care oversight McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 1/29/24The Medicaid and CHIP Payment Advisory Commission on Friday approved seven recommendations to enhance congressional oversight of Medicaid managed care organizations as recent reports reveal startlingly high rates of prior authorization denials. 

Most US adults fail to recognize heart disease as leading killer of Americans, study findHCP Live, by Patrick Campbell; 1/24/24The American Heart Association's annual report on heart disease and stroke statistics for 2024 sheds new light on the impact and level of public education surrounding the impact of heart disease and stroke in the US and abroad.

CMS looks to tackle Medicare Advantage's 'black box'Becker's Payer Issues, by Rylee Wilson; 1/26/24CMS is seeking input on improving transparency in the Medicare Advantage program. The agency issued a request for information Jan. 25, seeking public feedback on how data collection and transparency in the program can be improved. In a news release, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said increased transparency is key to increasing competitiveness in the program and ensuring Medicare dollars are spent correctly.

What is palliative care?Money, by Bianca Rodriguez Rojas; 1/4/24Palliative care is a healthcare approach that aims to provide comfort and improve the quality of life of people diagnosed with a serious or life-threatening disease such as cancer, heart failure or Parkinson’s.Editor's note: Interesting this appeared in Money magazine...

Creative thinking needed to save rural hospitalsSouth Dakota Searchlight, by Tom Dean; 1/14/24Over the last 15 years, approximately 150 rural hospitals have closed nationwide. What does it mean? Are these facilities obsolete, no longer needed?  Maybe in a few places, but in the vast majority of communities they provide critically important services. 

Advance care planning reaches underserved across U.S. recruitment continues for National Institutes of Health (NIH) ResearchHospice Foundation of America; 1/18/24Community outreach leaders and liaisons are urged to apply to serve as hosts for the Project Talk Trial, a national, 5-year research project funded by National Institutes of Health that seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of advance care planning conversations and whether those discussions result in advance care planning actions. ... The project is specifically focused on underserved communities of people who historically have the poorest access to healthcare services and the lowest engagement in advance care planning, which include racial and ethnic minorities, low-income individuals, and rural populations.

Federal scientists conclude there is credible evidence for certain medical uses of marijuanaPolitico, by Natalie Fertig; 1/12/24The Department of Health and Human Services concluded that marijuana is less harmful than other dangerous drugs and that there is some evidence of its medical benefits in recommending loosening federal restrictions on the drug. For the last 60-plus years, cannabis has been classified as a Schedule I drug — the same as heroin — under the Controlled Substances Act, which means it’s a substance of high abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Bloomberg first reported in August that HHS had recommended marijuana be moved to Schedule III, and the release of these documents on Friday confirms that.Publisher note: The full FDA report can be found here.

Mom enters hospice in final days of cancer and releases viral song for 7-year-old sonPeople, by Jordan Greene; 1/25/24Cat Janis shared her final wish – for her song 'Dance You Outta My Head' which she wrote for her 7-year-old son — to go viral. 

Medicare certifies hospices in California despite state ban on new licenses ProPublica, by Ava Kofman; 1/25/24The agency has rolled out sweeping changes to target end-of-life care providers that were billing for unneeded services, but some fraud hot spots continue to evade scrutiny.Notable mentions: Sheila Clark, President / CEO CHAPCA.