Literature Review

The Alliance and the Research Institute for Home Care Release Inaugural Medicaid Home Care Chartbook National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 4/27/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) and the Research Institute for Home Care (the Institute) today released the 2026 Medicaid Home Care Chartbook, the first report of its kind providing a broad overview of the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) user population, workforce, organizational trends, and economic contributions of Medicaid home care providers across the U.S. 

Midland Care expands care model with VMA acquisition Midland Care; Press Release; 4/13/26 Midland Care Connection has announced that its subsidiary, Midland Care Physician Services, has acquired Vintage Medical Associates (VMA), a primary care practice focused on serving older adults across northeast Kansas. This acquisition allows Midland Care to more closely coordinate medical and support services, enable streamlined care transitions, and improve communication among providers. Shawn Sullivan, President and CEO of Midland Care, “This acquisition strengthens our strategy to expand access to integrated, person-centered care for older adults.”

Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures - Annual Report Alzheimer's Association; Press Release; 4/22/26 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures (PDF), an annual report released by the Alzheimer's Association, reveals the burden of Alzheimer's and dementia on individuals, caregivers, government and the nation's health care system. Download the following:

Opinion: Restoring trust in hospice begins with ending Medicare fraud The Hill, Washington, DC; Opinion Contributor, Jennifer Sheets, CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home; 4/28/26 ... While losing someone you love is excruciating, many families — including my own — feel a sense of relief by the comfort and improved quality of life that hospice offers. As a mother, nurse, and full-time caregiver for my own mom during her end-of-life journey, I am forever grateful for the providers who supported our family during our most difficult moments. So, when I hear instances of malicious hospice fraud, I am outraged — not just for the taxpayer who becomes the victim of waste, but ultimately for the individuals who could be deprived of this important care option because of the harmful actions of others. ... A recent study revealed that, understandably, older adults consider trustworthiness as extremely or very important when choosing a provider. It’s not lost on hospice professionals that trust is essential to our relationships with patients. We must give them every reason to believe in us — and most providers do by delivering compliant, patient-centered, and clinically appropriate care to patients with complex needs. 

Hospice fraud enforcement in America: A running record of every publicy announced federal and state criminal action against hospice fraud between April 2025 and April 2026 LundPerson and Associates; by Judi Lund Person; updated 4/15/26 The facts, data, players, and more, with ongoing updates by Judi Lund Person, hospice regulatory expert.

Hosparus Health names Becky Tooker as President Hosparus Health, Louisville, KY; Press Release; 4/20/2026 Hosparus Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of hospice and serious illness care, has named Becky Tooker as President, effective April 6. Tooker brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in hospice, home health and post-acute care and a strong commitment to patient-centered care. Most recently Tooker served in a senior leadership role with St. Croix Hospice, where she oversees statewide operations including clinical quality, regulatory compliance and performance improvement. ... David W. Cook, CEO of Hosparus Health, said he looks forward to partnering with Tooker as the organization continues expanding services for patients and families across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

National Alliance for Care at Home | Strategic Plan (2026-2029)National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release / email; 4/20/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home has finalized its Strategic Plan for 2026–2029. This plan is the result of deep reflection on the challenges facing care at home providers today, the opportunities we believe are ahead, and the role the Alliance must play to help you navigate both. It is organized around four commitments:

Google.org and Johnson & Johnson Foundation launch $10 million AI training program for rural U.S. healthcare workers Complete AI Training; Press Release; 4/14/26 Google.org and the Johnson & Johnson Foundation are launching a $10 million program to train rural U.S. healthcare workers to use AI tools for administrative tasks. The initiative targets operational efficiency in clinics facing chronic staffing shortages and administrative overload. ... According to the National Rural Health Association, over 130 rural hospitals have shut down since 2010, with administrative burden cited as a major factor. The new program addresses this directly by teaching healthcare workers to use AI for scheduling, patient documentation, and clinic operations. 

Hospices to face increased scrutiny under new scoring system Harris Beach Murtha Attorneys at Law; by Glenn M. Jones and Roy W. Breitenbach; 4/15/26 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans a new hospice scoring system in fiscal year 2027 . ... CMS announced the service and spending variation index (SSVI) is part of its ongoing efforts to combat fraud and strengthen program integrity. CMS said the system will increase transparency for families, ensure proper care, protect beneficiaries and support providers delivering quality end-of-life care. Details of the proposed rule can be found on the Federal Register. The agency has also published a fact sheet on the proposed rule. The SSVI score will be based on a variety of metrics CMS gathers from hospice claims, including:

U.S. House Committee on Ways & Means - Full committee hearing on protecting patients and taxpayers: cracking down on Medicare fraud United State House Committee on Ways & Means, Chairman Jason Smith; content below is from the US House Committee Ways & Means website, with descriptions (below) by Judi Lund Person; 4/21/26 The House Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by Jason Smith (MO-08), held a hearing today [4/21] examining the prevalence of fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare and efforts to combat fraud to protect patients and taxpayers. Readers have the opportunity to watch the full committee hearing on YouTube. Links are provided below.

National Alliance for Care at Home | Strategic Plan (2026-2029)National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release / email; 4/20/26 The National Alliance for Care at Home has finalized its Strategic Plan for 2026–2029. This plan is the result of deep reflection on the challenges facing care at home providers today, the opportunities we believe are ahead, and the role the Alliance must play to help you navigate both. It is organized around four commitments:

CMS issues guidance to implement new limits on federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for certain noncitizens CMS Newsroom; Press Release; 4/8/26 CMS is preparing states for an upcoming change that will limit the ability to claim federal matching funds for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for individuals who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals, or who fall into specific noncitizen categories identified in statute. New guidance issued today will ensure states understand their responsibility in implementing this statutory change beginning October 1, 2026. ... To view the State Health Official (SHO) letter, visit: https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/sho26001.pdf.