Literature Review

Hospice telehealth once again endangered as federal shutdown looms  Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 1/28/26 The prospect of another government shutdown could result in the expiration of COVID-era telehealth flexibilities. The government experienced a lengthy shutdown in November 2025, which ended with the passing of the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2026. That bill not only funded the government through Jan. 30, but it also extended the telehealth flexibilities to that date. Now, a further extension sits in limbo as congressional lawmakers spar along partisan lines. If a new shutdown occurs, it would likely be partial, according to Logan Hoover, vice president of policy and government relations for the National Alliance for Care at Home.

Gerald’s Law reintroduced in Congress to permanently protect veterans’ burial benefits National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 1/22/26 Representatives Bergman (R-MI) and Budzinski (D-IL) formally reintroduced Gerald’s Law as a standalone bill to permanently protect burial benefits for veterans who receive Veterans Affairs (VA) furnished hospice care outside of a VA facility. The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) applauds this bi-partisan effort to close a critical gap in benefits impacting seriously-ill veterans and their families. 

Proposed budget bill extends telehealth, hospital at home flexibilities again healthleaders; by Eric Wicklundh; 1/21/26 According to news reports Tuesday out of Washington DC, the bill, part of a package being prepared for a vote to fund government agencies and avoid a potential shutdown, would extend the telehealth flexibilities through 2027 and the AHCaH program through 2030. It would also boost this year's funding for community health centers to $6.4 billion and enable Medicare coverage for multi-cancer early detection screening tests.

Governor Hochul unveils proposals to increase support and resources for New York’s older adults 2026 State of the State - Health, Albany, NY; Press Release; 1/13/26 Governor Kathy Hochul today proposed a series of initiatives to support older New Yorkers as part of her 2026 State of the State. The Governor’s investments will help older New Yorkers, caretakers, and communities by connecting them to key resources so seniors can age in place, at home, in the communities they know and love.

[Updates] New York expected to enact medical aid in dying law in 2026 Nixon Peabody; Press Release; 12/29/25 Explore key amendments and compliance steps in the amended bill, which is expected to take effect in 2026. What’s the impact?

The hard questions behind medically assisted suicide PJ Media; by David Manney; 12/13/25 Before we start, I need you to know that I'm not advocating for medically assisted suicide (MAS). I do believe that I grasp why some people, in rare and specific circumstances, view it as a deeply personal choice. That belief comes not from emotion, but from watching the hardest years of suffering and listening to families stare at a future without mercy. As more states pass laws, including Illinois, which recently became the twelfth state to legalize medical aid in dying for terminally ill patients with strict criteria, the debate has grown far beyond politics, and into the core of how we treat the most vulnerable among us. ...Editor's Note: In the enacted Illinois statute known as “Deb’s Law,” the formal statutory term is neither “medical aid in dying” nor “medically assisted suicide,” but “aid‑in‑dying medication,” within the “End‑of‑Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act.” 

As Oregon mulls private equity hospice merger, lawmakers hear of grim financial logic Willamette Week, Portland, OR; by Andrew Schwartz; 12/3/25 Last month’s presentation to a Oregon Senate health care committee came as a for-profit company seeks to assume management of the state’s largest home hospice network. ... The presentation, by Braun and other hospice industry experts, comes as the Oregon Health Authority weighs approval of a major transaction: As part of a multistate deal, Compassus, a for-profit company run in part by private equity interests, is seeking to take over management of home health and hospice assets of the nonprofit Providence Oregon, the state’s largest provider of such services.

Alliance ready to go ‘full bore’ on legislative strategy if CMS Rule falls short Home Health News; by Morgan Gonzales; 11/24/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is prepared to take a "full bore" approach to its legislative strategy if the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule falls short. This includes scrutinizing CMS's methodologies and implementation plans once the final rule is issued. The Alliance is ready to push the Home Health Stabilization Act of 2025 if the final rule includes a massive cut to the home health Medicare rate. ... The Alliance's docket for the new year includes pushing for key deregulations, most top of mind: the 80/20 rule.

Dignity in the final chapter: Delaware’s End of Life Options Law and what it means for clients and counsel DelawareToday; by Zelvin Law; 11/1/25 With the passage of House Bill 140—the Ron Silverio/Heather Block End of Life Options Law—Delaware becomes the latest jurisdiction to empower terminally ill adults with the legal right to end their lives on their own terms, in a manner that is medically supported, ethically structured, and rooted in autonomy. Signed into law on May 20, 2025, HB 140 places Delaware at the forefront of the East Coast in authorizing medical aid in dying. ... HB 140 includes significant protections and responsibilities for both patients and providers. [A list of key requirements follows.]

Palliative care legislation exploding at state level, but policy gaps remain, study reveals McKnights Home Care: by Adam Healy; 10/27/25 States are becoming increasingly focused on palliative care. Since 2009, the number of palliative care-related bills introduced at the state level has grown at a rapid pace, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. ... Of the 819 bills introduced between 2009 and 2023, roughly 30% were eventually passed into law. ... Bills related to palliative care quality and public awareness bills were the most likely to pass, it found. Meanwhile, relatively few bills governing palliative care workforce, clinical skill building and patient rights passed during the study period.

What is water cremation and why did Pa. lawmakers just back a bill to legalize it? LeighValleyLive.com, Leigh Valley, PA; by Lehigh Valley Community News; 10/5/25 The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation on Wednesday authorizing alkaline hydrolysis, commonly known as water cremation, as an approved cremation method in the state. The bill would give Pennsylvania families a more environmentally sustainable option for end-of-life services. Alkaline hydrolysis uses a mixture of water and alkali in a sealed pressurized steel chamber to reduce the body to bone, which is then processed into ash. The process consumes significantly less energy than traditional flame cremation, which requires temperatures exceeding 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the Mayo Clinic, alkaline hydrolysis uses only about one-quarter of the energy required for flame cremation. 

Commentary: New York must act now to protect quality hospice care Times Union; by Cara Pace, Liz Krueger and Amy Paulin; 9/30/25 When your loved one is entering the final stage of their life, who would you rather manage their care: a nonprofit solely dedicated to providing the highest quality care possible? Or a private entity seeking to maximize profits? ... However, for-profit hospices now account for 70% of the market, up from 5% 35 years ago. This comes despite studies showing that for-profit hospices provide fewer essential services, employ less skilled staff, receive a higher volume of complaints and contribute less to their communities than their nonprofit counterparts. ... That's why we introduced legislation (S.3437/A.565) to prohibit the state from approving new applications for the establishment, construction or increased capacity of for-profit hospice entities. The two existing for-profit providers would not be touched, though their capacity to expand would be limited. The legislation now awaits Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature.Editor's Note: For-profit or non-profit status alone does not speak to the quality of care provided by the individual hospice. Some for-profits provide excellent care; some non-profits do not. This article speaks to evidence-based data, quality scores, patterns, trends, and cumulative results from CAHPS, HIS (which is being replaced by the HOPE Tool, effective today), and more. Examine quality scores in your services with the National Hospice Locator (ranked by scores), provided by National Hospice Analytics.