Literature Review

CMS’ TEAM Payment Model: What hospices need to know Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/30/25 A forthcoming alternative payment model for hospitals focuses on discharge planning and ensuring effective post-acute care, including hospice and palliative care when appropriate. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) late last year unveiled its new Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM). Participation in the model will be mandatory for select hospitals. The program is set to launch on Jan. 1, 2026 and run through Dec. 31, 2030. CMS designed the program based on lessons learned from previous episode-based payment models, as well as input from stakeholders in response to a Request for Information published in 2023.  

Empath Health to sell service center location Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/29/25  The Florida-based senior care provider Empath Health is selling one of its administrative service centers, located in Pinellas County in its home state. The center was initially established by Suncoast Hospice, which is now an Empath Health affiliate. The sale is part of Empath’s effort to “realign its physical footprint” to invent more directly in home-based, patient-centered care, according to a statement from the organization. “Selling an underutilized administrative building allows us to reinvest in the people, programs and technology that bring comfort, dignity, and support into homes and communities,” said Jonathan Fleece, president and CEO of Empath Health, in the statement. “It’s a return to our roots and a recommitment to the future.”

Hospice El Paso to receive over $100K from Marathon Petroleum Corporation KTSM, El Paso, TX; Press Release; 5/28/25 Hospice El Paso will receive a $174,000 donation from Marathon Petroleum Corporation this week, which includes the gift of a fully equipped ambulance to support the organization’s patient transportation needs. The donation will be held on Thursday, May 29, the organization said. ... The donation will enable the organization to “provide timely and compassionate transportation for patients requiring specialized end-of-life care, ensuring they receive the support they need with dignity and comfort,” read the news release by the organization. ... “We are deeply grateful to Marathon Petroleum for their unwavering commitment to our community,” Dr. Jim Voiland, CEO of Hospice El Paso, said.

Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes ABC News WFTS, Tampa Bay, FL; by Gulfside Healthcare; 5/27/25 Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes serves a greater purpose than providing affordable gently used goods: all net proceeds fund charity care for hospice patients. Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes has a new and improved online shop for easy access and including shipping. To learn more about Gulfside Hospice, visit Gulfside.org. To shop Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes online visit gulfsidethrift.myshopify.com/ or stop by one of four convenient locations in New Port Richey, Hudson, Dade City or Zephyrhills. Follow Gulfside on social media for updates and sales.Editor's note: This online access opens up a world of engagement with those who cannot visit the shop in person, especially long distance donors and family members/friends acquainted with Gulfside Hospice. 

Find greater resilience by avoiding these 3 leadership blind spots Forbes; by Chris Westfall; 5/26/25 Over 96% of organizations have experienced disruption in the last two years, according to a global resilience survey from PwC. Resilience - the dynamic capacity to anticipate, adapt to and recover from adversity - is what allows companies and individuals to bounce back after a challenge. Difficulty, change and loss comes to everyone (and every organization) to varying degrees. But, as Jeff Golblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm said in Jurassic Park, “Life finds a way.” ... Being resilient is the key. However, there are three blind spots that often show up inside of organizations, and individuals, when the going gets tough. Here’s how to turn resilience into a competitive advantage, no matter what you’re up against.

Inside the Medicare Advantage Reform Act Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/28/25 A bill currently before Congress seeks to overhaul aspects of the Medicare Advantage program. Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) recently introduced the Medicare Advantage Reform Act. If enacted, the bill, numbered H.R. 3467, would make wholesale changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA). A key provision of the bill is a proposed requirement that MA plans pay for hospice care. Hospice is currently “carved out” of Medicare Advantage. The potential impacts of moving hospice into MA at this time would be “devastating,” according to the National Alliance for Care at Home. ... [Other] changes to MA included in the text could have serious implications for hospices and other providers that also offer home health, palliative care or other services. ...

Veteran’s Last Patrol joins NVBDC’s MVO Task Force to support veterans in hospice care Eurozone.Newswire, Detroit, MI; by EIN Presswire.com; 5/27/25 The National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) proudly welcomes Veterans Last Patrol as the newest member of its Military and Veteran Organization (MVO) Task Force. This collaboration expands the Task Force’s ability to reach and support Veterans during one of the most critical moments in their lives—end-of-life care. Founded by retired military officer Claude Schmid, Veterans’ Last Patrol is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing companionship and support to Veterans in hospice care. With a mission to “befriend, honor, and support,” the organization works to ensure that no Veteran faces the end of life alone, offering meaningful connection and comfort during their final days, or their “Last Patrol.”

Veterans honored ahead of Memorial Day with picnic hosted by Hospice of Texarkana KSLA-TV 12, Shreveport, LA; by Fred Gamble; 5/17/25 Hospice of Texarkana held its third annual Veterans Appreciation Picnic Friday (May 16) honoring the service and sacrifice of area military veterans and their families. Organizers said with Memorial Day just around the corner, the event gave attendees a time to relax and connect with each other. 

Memorial Day Remembrance event Sand Mountain Reporter, Albertville, AL; by Mary Bailey; 5/23/25 The skies parted just enough to give Shepherd's Cove Hospice in Albertville perfect weather for their annual Memorial Day Remembrance event held on the front grounds. This yearly event is a time of solemn reflection and gratitude as they honor the lives of the veterans they had the privilege to serve over the pastt year. Stacy Johnson, Bereavement Director with Shepherd's Cove Hospice welcomed those in attendance to the event. ... The free event honored 73 veterans who were served in Hospice care at the facility. Along with the roll call of veterans, there was also a presentation of colors. Across the front lawn is also 73 white crosses bearing the names of each veteran. 

Inaugural walk raises awareness for pancreatic cancer Columbus Jewish News, Beachwood, OH; by Becky Raspe; 5/21/25 On April 30, Wexner Heritage Village held its inaugural Zusman Hospice & Pancreatic Cancer Walkathon fundraiser. Held at Bexley’s Schneider Park, the event was held in memory of Rob Cohen, brother of Wexner Heritage Village and Zusman Hospice’s volunteer coordinator Judi Koval. Cohen died three years ago from pancreatic cancer ... under the care of Wexner Heritage Village’s Zusman Hospice “at the end of his days.” Organizing the walk to honor her brother, the event date also would’ve been her brother’s birthday, she said. 

Hospice nurse fired after granddaughter shares video of alleged misconduct NBC WJAR-10, Providence, RI; by Leanna Faulk; 5/16/25 A hospice nurse has been fired after a Facebook video posted by the granddaughter of a terminally ill man allegedly caught the nurse verbally abusing him inside HopeHealth Hospice & Palliative Care on Main Street in Providence. Aryanna Pecoraro said she was visiting her 69-year-old grandfather, John Carney, during the early morning hours of May 3 when she overheard a nurse speaking aggressively to him through the closed door of his room. Carney had been admitted to the hospice center on April 30 and was in the late stages of emphysema. “I hear her say to my grandfather, ‘I’m not coming back into this room. I don’t care if you fall out of the bed onto the floor. I’m tired of your BS," Pecoraro said in an interview with NBC 10. “She also mocked him while he groaned in pain. I couldn’t believe someone could be that cruel to a person who couldn’t defend himself.” ... HopeHealth issued the following statement in response to the video and allegations: ...

Navigating the Future: HOPE, Wage Index, and CMS Quality Measures Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN; podcast by Chris Comeaux with Annette Kiser and Judi Lund Person; 5/21/25 What happens when ancient philosophical questions about "the good life" collide with modern healthcare regulations?  In this compelling episode of TCNtalks, host Chris Comeaux welcomes Hospice leaders Annette Kiser, Chief Compliance Officer with Teleios, and Judi Lund Person, Principal, Lund Person & Associates LLC,  for a deep dive into the regulatory crossroads facing hospice providers. In this episode,  we discuss the FY 2026 Proposed Rule, which focused on implementing the HOPE initiative, and two RFIs (Requests for Information) that were part of it. 

[Commentary] It’s time to bring value-based care principles to hospice Medical Economics; by Asher Perzigian; 5/20/25 In the health care industry, the conversation around value-based care (VBC) has been abuzz for a while now. The idea is simple: pay for outcomes, not for services, and shift our mindset from volume to value as we reduce unnecessary care, improve outcomes and bend the cost curve. However, when we talk about VBC, we often overlook a critical part of the health care continuum: hospice care. And when it comes to end-of-life care, traditional measures like survival rates and reduced readmissions lose their relevance. Hospice embodies some of the deepest principles of VBC: aligning care with patient goals, avoiding unneeded interventions and supporting the person as a whole. Here’s what primary care physicians need to know about the integration of value-based principles in hospice care.