Literature Review

Hospice 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. ...

Family Hospice hosts open house and ribbon-cutting for new McDonough Inpatient Unit NEWSnet, McDonough, GA; by EIN Presswire; 7/2/26 Family Hospice welcomed community leaders, healthcare professionals, and community partners on June 25 for an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating its new McDonough Inpatient Unit. The event marked an important milestone in the organization’s continued commitment to expanding access to compassionate hospice care.  ... “At Family Hospice, our mission is simple: We are a team that cares for people, and we make lives better,” said Charlie Hall, Chief Executive Officer of Family Hospice. “Our new McDonough Inpatient Unit reflects that commitment and will allow us to provide an additional level of compassionate care and support for patients and families.”

VITAS Healthcare promotes Bryan Wysong to Chief Operations Officer South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report; Press Release; 7/2/26 VITAS Healthcare announced the promotion of Bryan Wysong to chief operations officer (COO). As executive vice president and COO, Wysong will lead companywide operations across VITAS, overseeing hospice care delivery, high acuity services, operational performance, quality improvement, home medical equipment and palliative care services. He will work closely with leaders across the organization to strengthen clinical excellence, advance operational performance and support the continued growth of VITAS. Since joining VITAS in 2014 as an internal management consultant, Wysong has held leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including senior director, vice president, head of high acuity services and senior vice president of operational performance. 

Hospice sues Medicare over denied claims worth over $1 million Bloomberg Law; by Ganny Belloni; 7/1/26 An Arizona hospice group is suing Medicare alleging the program arbitrarily denied hundreds of claims for palliative care services. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas by Infinity Hospice Care claims that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, through its private claims processor, denied over 200 claims for hospice services worth over $1 million after audits found the services didn’t meet the Medicare Administrative Contractor’s payment criteria. [Full access may be limited by a paywall.]

AI, hospice fraud crackdown & medicare’s future—the biggest healthcare stories of 2026| part one Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner; 7/1/26 In this quarterly edition of TCNtalks / Anatomy of Leadership, host Chris Comeaux is joined by healthcare strategist Cordt Kassner to unpack the biggest healthcare stories shaping 2026.  Together, they examine the trends every healthcare executive should be watching—from the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and workforce transformation to increasing regulatory scrutiny, quality measurement, Medicare reform, and the financial realities facing hospice providers.  Using Dr. Ira Byock’s strategic framework as their guide, they move beyond headlines to explore what these developments mean for the future of care. The conversation also tackles larger questions facing the healthcare system.  

Indiana'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.

Webster Equity taps Goldman Sachs for Bristol Hospice CV Octus; by Armie Margaret Lee and Aaron Weitzman Webster Equity Partners has selected Goldman Sachs as its financial advisor on a continuation vehicle, or CV, for Bristol Hospice, according to sources. Octus reported last week that the continuation fund process is projected to kick off in the fall. The potential size of the CV could be about $2.5 billion, as reported. Bristol generated about $140 million in EBITDA in 2025 and is expected to generate about $175 million to $180 million of EBITDA in 2026, as reported. Webster considered putting Bristol up for sale earlier this year before opting to pursue a CV instead. Octus reported in March that Webster had retained Goldman Sachs and Guggenheim to lead an auction for Bristol, which was projected to launch as soon as June.

Improving trauma-informed end-of-life support for indigenous populations Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/29/26 The end of life can come with significant challenges for underserved and under-resourced patient populations, including indigenous tribal communities. Hospices seeking to improve quality and disparities need a trauma-informed care delivery approach, as well as greater cultural staffing diversity and education. Culturally inclusive recruitment and retention policies can help hospices to bridge wide gaps of unmet needs among terminally ill patients and their families, according to Dr. Sophina Manheimer Calderon, CMO, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Health System in Baraga, Michigan. Calderon is from the Navajo Nation in Arizona and previously worked within the tribal community’s health system to collaborate with local hospice and home health providers. Increasing diverse staff representation allows hospices to have a deeper understanding of the unique challenges a community faces ...

New 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.

Allina hospice workers announce 1-day strike set for July 6FOX 9, Minneapolis, MN; by Kilat Fitzgerald; 6/29/26The Brief

Solace Hospice suspends opening amid Medicare moratorium Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 6/25/26 The launch of Solace Hospice of Southwest Virginia has paused due to a nationwide temporary moratoria on hospice and home health Medicare enrollment. The hospice’s operations will be suspended for an indeterminate time. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) six-month moratoria took effect on May 13, a move to halt new providers amid fraudulent activity in the hospice space. The program’s cessation is a direct result of the moratorium, said Shanna Western, founder and executive director of Solace Hospice of Southwest Virginia.

Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice receives $5,000 grant from First Hope Bank Pike County Courier, Newton, NJ; 6/23/26 Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice has received a $5,000 grant from First Hope Bank, supporting the organization’s continued mission to provide compassionate, high‑quality hospice care to the community. ... The grant is part of First Hope Bank’s initiative to recognize and support qualifying small businesses, farms, and nonprofit organizations that have experienced economic challenges and supply‑chain constraints. This investment reflects the bank’s commitment to strengthening local organizations that make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.

Forward commits $100,000 to Hope Hospice’s new facility campaign Wisconsin Bankers Association; 6/23/26 Forward Bank, Insurance & Investments is proud to announce a $100,000 commitment to Hope Hospice & Palliative Care’s “40 Years of Hope – Building the Next Chapter” capital campaign, supporting the construction of a new facility in Medford designed to meet the growing needs of patients and families throughout north central Wisconsin. “For 40 years, Hope Hospice has provided compassionate care and support to individuals and families during some of life’s most difficult moments,” said Molly Knoll, VP/Senior Commercial Lender in Medford.