Literature Review

Court approves Justice Department’s settlement in UnitedHealth Group and Amedisys merger Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice; Press Release; 12/10/25 The settlement requires the largest divestiture of outpatient healthcare services to resolve a merger challenge (by number of facilities) and imposes a $1.1M civil penalty for false certification. The United States District Court for the District of Maryland today [12/10/25] entered the Final Judgment proposed by the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with its state co-Plaintiffs, requiring broad divestitures to resolve Plaintiffs’ challenge to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s (UnitedHealth) $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys Inc. In addition, Amedisys must pay a $1.1 million civil penalty to the United States for falsely certifying that it had provided “true, correct, and complete” responses under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. ... The settlement requires UnitedHealth and Amedisys to divest at least 164 home health and hospice locations (including one affiliated palliative care facility) across 19 states, accounting for approximately $528 million in annual revenue.

Local business’ Round-up Drive raises $10,000 for Hospice of Santa Barbara Noozhawk; by Wavecomm for Hospice of Santa Barbara; 12/9/25 Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) has completed the October Round-Up Campaign, hosted by the Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center, raising $10,000 for HSB. Over the course of the 33-day campaign, customers were invited to round up their purchases at checkout or make an additional donation, directly benefiting Hospice of Santa Barbara’s services.

Quality comes from within, with Andrew Reed Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast hosted by Chris Comeaux with Andrew Reed; 12/10/25In our latest crossover episode TCNtalks and Anatomy Of Leadership, Andrew Reed, CEO and Chief Teaching Officer of Multi-View Incorporated, shares his journey as a recording artist with Universal Virgin Music Groups and his experiences in the music industry.  Andrew makes a bold case: profit should follow purpose, not push it around.  When leaders chase “more” at all costs, bad profits appear and training, standards, and trust all erode.  When teams build sustainable systems and teach rigor with heart, margin becomes a reliable barometer rather than the goal. 

4 ‘pivot points’ for hospice, palliative care growthHospice News; by Holly Vossel; 12/8/25Hospice and palliative care providers have achieved many successes, but are facing an uncertain outlook as patient populations and the loved ones supporting them grapple with unmet needs. Hospice and palliative care services have driven down health care costs while developing interdisciplinary models that address a wide scope of physical, emotional, spiritual and practical needs, Dr. Ira Byock, palliative care physician, author and advocate, said during a recent GeriPal podcast. However, significant gaps exist in the availability and sustainability of these services under current regulatory frameworks, he indicated. ... [His recently published white paper] outlined four [components] to consider when developing sustainable strategies for hospice and palliative care businesses. These included:

Hospice margins dropping despite utilization gains Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/9/25 Hospice margins are falling despite record-high utilization, according to data from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). The commission has released its draft recommendations to Congress, repeating its annual call to eliminate hospice payment rate increases in future years. “For fiscal year, 2027, Congress should eliminate the update to the 2026 Medicare base payment rate for hospice,” MedPAC indicated in its draft recommendations. ... The average Medicare fee-for-service margin for hospices fell to 8% in 2023, down from 9.8% in 2022 and 14.2% in 2020, according to MedPAC. Among for-profit providers, the average 2023 margin was 13.7%, whereas nonprofits in aggregate showed a loss at -1.3%. These numbers exclude cap overpayments and non-reimbursible costs.

HOV honors family traditions North Central News; by Staff; 12/8/25 Family traditions enrich the holiday season, and for Hispanic families in the community, Día de los Muertos is an especially meaningful observance, says Lin Sue Flood, director of community engagement at Hospice of the Valley. “Though the name translates to ‘Day of the Dead,’ this cherished Mexican holiday is not a morbid occasion. Instead, it is a vibrant celebration that honors those we hold dear through ofrendas (altars) adorned with photos, favorite foods and bright marigolds, alongside music and dancing,” she added. ... Organizer Dulce Rodriguez noted that the event helps reinforce family bonds across generations and strengthens cultural identity.

Poinsettias bring Christmas cheer and funds for hospice The Times-News; by Tommy Murphy; 12/4/25 This week, thousands of red and green poinsettias have been hand-delivered to folks across Troup County and beyond as part of a fundraiser for Wellstar West Georgia Hospice. ... This is the 36th annual poinsettia fundraiser held by West Georgia Hospice. It’s their second-largest fundraiser of the year behind their annual Ely Callaway Golf Tournament, said Sandy Melton, volunteer coordinator for West Georgia Hospice. ... This year, they’re delivering around 3,800 poinsettias.

LAVNS appoints Ruben Vasquez as its executive director Daily Post, Los Alamos County, NM; 12/4/25 Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service, Inc. (LAVNS), “the community’s trusted not-for-profit partner in home health and hospice care since 1973”, has announced the appointment of Ruben A. Vasquez as executive director. This leadership transition marks the beginning of a revitalized strategic chapter for LAVNS as it heads into 2026, focused on strengthening its workforce, modernizing operations, and reaffirming its commitment to the community it has served for more than five decades. 

The top ten thought leadership trends for 2026 Forbes; by William Arruda; updated 12/1/25 Being a thought leader has become more complicated as the world of work evolves and technology integration accelerates. The volume of content keeps rising, audiences are becoming more discerning, and the way we show up as effective thought leaders is changing just as quickly. ... Consider these 10 trends as you develop your thought leadership plan for 2026. 

Aging is changing: Three truths that should reshape our strategiesMcKnights Long-Term Care News; by 

Transforming care: MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center receives $6 million gift from Marilyn V. Adams to expand lifesaving geriatric emergency program and comfort services PR Newswire, Laguna Hills, CA; by MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center; 12/2/25 MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is honored to announce a landmark $6 million gift from the late Marilyn V. Adams, a former Laguna Woods resident and lifelong philanthropist. This extraordinary contribution will support palliative, hospice and geriatric emergency care, ensuring quality, compassionate care for patients who are seniors in need of emergent care or who have life-limiting illness—two vulnerable populations often overlooked.

Rainbow dedicates tree and memorial bench in honor of beloved nurse practitioner Kristina Heimsch Rainbow Community Care; Jefferson, Wisconsin; by Rainbow Community Care Team; 10/13/25Rainbow Community Care hosted a touching dedication ceremony on Monday, October 6, to honor the life and contributions of Kristina Heimsch, a cherished nurse practitioner who passed away in April 2025 at the age of 37. Held in collaboration with Kristina’s family, the event established a peaceful and lasting tribute to her presence within the Rainbow family. A Fire Maple tree, which was generously gifted by McKay Nursery of Waterloo, now stands on the front lawn of the Rainbow Hospice Care Inpatient Center. Kristina’s family also donated a memorial bench in her memory.

Interim HealthCare expands in South Carolina with successful Palmetto state healthcare entrepreneur Business Wire - Interim Healthcare, Inc., Sunrise, FL; Press Release; 12/2/25 Interim HealthCare Inc. ... announced a major expansion in South Carolina, backed by Gary Cooper, a longtime South Carolina healthcare entrepreneur and co-founder of Palmetto Infusion Services. Alongside his son and business partner, Clemons Cooper, they will oversee operations across Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Florence, Kershaw, Lee, Marlboro, Sumter, and Williamsburg counties.