Literature Review

More Minnesotans face ‘pharmacy deserts’ with chain drugstore closures The Minnesota Star Tribune; by Dee DePass; 11/2/24 KB Brown’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing since Walgreens shut its W. Broadway store last year, leaving one pharmacy to serve 67,000 residents in the north Minneapolis area where he lives and runs his graphics design business. With Walgreens gone — and CVS shutting four other area stores — Brown, at least three times a week, transports employees, relatives and older neighbors to pharmacies in Robbinsdale or other suburbs so they can get their medications. ... North Minneapolis joins a growing number of “pharmacy deserts” rapidly dotting the state and nation as small and large pharmacies close up shop, leaving people with few options to quickly access prescription medicines. ... CVS, which closed 600 U.S. stores between 2021 and 2023, said it would close 300 more this year as leases end. On Oct. 15, Walgreens announced a plan to close 1,200 unprofitable stores, starting with 500 in 2025.

CareTrust, JV partner to acquire 31 skilled nursing facilities in $500 million deal Skilled Nursing News; by Tim Mullaney; 10/29/24 CareTrust REIT (NYSE: CTRE) and a joint venture partner have reached an agreement to acquire a portfolio of 31 skilled nursing facilities for approximately $500 million, the company’s largest acquisition to date. San Clemente, California-based CareTrust anticipates that most of the facilities will be operated by existing partners of the REIT, including The Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG), PACS Group (NYSE: PACS) and Links Healthcare Group, the company announced Tuesday. The portfolio being acquired totals 3,290 licensed beds, with 30 of the locations in Tennessee and one in Alabama. CareTrust anticipates that the deal will close in the fourth quarter of 2024. ... PACS will be adding 12 of the 31 properties to its ranks, all 12 are in Tennessee; PACS currently operates 276 post-acute care and senior living facilities across 15 states. This is a new state for the Utah-based operator. PACS may purchase the real estate on six of the facilities between years four and seven of the lease with CareTrust, PACS said in a statement.

LeadingAge: Diverting patients from SNF to home health does more harm than good McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 10/28/24 Mounting evidence suggests that Medicare Advantage plans are directing beneficiaries to home health when they should receive skilled nursing facility care, which is negatively affecting providers’ care quality, according to LeadingAge. The Senate Committee Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations recently reported that MA plans may be diverting patients in need of SNF care to home health as a means of saving money. In an Oct. 25 letter, LeadingAge said this practice damages care quality and patient health outcomes, and asked the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to investigate the issue further. 

Nonprofit organizes free home cleanings for cancer patients The Dallas Express, Dallas, TX; by Patti Villegas; 10/27/24 When facing a serious illness, even simple tasks can become overwhelming. However, one nonprofit organization is stepping in to help alleviate some of that burden for individuals with cancer. Cleaning for a Reason, founded in 2006, has facilitated free home cleaning services for more than 57,133 cancer patients in the U.S. and Canada, providing services valued at a total of more than $19 million. The non-profit organization partners with residential cleaning companies and community volunteers to “clean the homes of cancer patients to provide hope, relief, control, and cleanliness,” the group’s website states. The volunteers’ work not only enhances the patients’ physical environment but uplifts their spirits as well.

Introducing Vivie: A new name with the same heart for service 1045 TheDan.com - Business Wire, Alexandria, MN; 10/24/24 Knute Nelson and Walker Methodist announce their new name and brand—Vivie. Vivie provides home health care, hospice, senior living, rehab, and more. ... With more than 150 years of combined service to older adults in their communities, Vivie unites two trusted legacies under one name and vision. As Vivie, the organization remains dedicated to the values that have made Knute Nelson and Walker Methodist pillars in their communities for generations. After merging in January 2024, the newly formed organization quickly began an extensive process to find a single, unifying name. "While our name is new, our heart for service remains the same," shared Mark Anderson, President and CEO. “We will continue to build on the solid foundation built by Knute Nelson and Walker Methodist, expanding our services to meet the evolving needs of those we serve.” The name “Vivie” is derived from the Latin root “viv” to paint a compelling picture of what it means to live. The new brand represents a vision for the future, rooted in our mission of enriching, empowering, and elevating people throughout life’s journey.

Bill introduced to increase access to advanced wheelchairs HomeCare, Nashville, TN; 10/24/24 U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the Choices for Increased Mobility Act (S 5154) to increase access to wheelchairs made with advanced materials by allowing Medicare beneficiaries to upgrade to lighter, more functional wheelchairs without bearing the entire upfront cost. These manual wheelchairs help prevent shoulder injuries, enhance maneuverability and reduce overall pain and fatigue for users. ... When the Medicare billing code for ultra-lightweight manual wheelchairs was established in 1993, materials like titanium and carbon fiber were not considered, as they were not yet in use for wheelchairs. As a result, ... providers have struggled to supply wheelchairs with these advanced materials at the fee schedule amounts set by Medicare.

Louisiana partners with Elizabeth Dole Foundation's Hidden Heroes Campaign Audacy.com; by Laine Griffin; 10/24/24 Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry announced last week his support for the more than 100,000 military and veteran caregivers in the state by joining the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Hidden Heroes Campaign. The campaign’s goal is to raise awareness and bring critical resources to military and veteran caregivers, who are referred to as hidden heroes and care for wounded, ill or injured service members and veterans. ... Currently, there are 2.3 military and veteran caregiver children and 14.3 million military and veteran caregivers who care for America’s wounded, ill, or injured veterans or service members, according to the foundation’s website. ... The 14.3 million military and veteran caregivers provide care valued at a minimum of $119 billion.

Safety first: How to ward off health care facility violence SmartBrief; by Julia M. Johnson; 10/23/24Panelists on an American Hospital Association webinar highlight ways in which hospitals and practices can protect their patients and themselves. ... The American Hospital Association recently hosted a webinar about what hospitals and practices need to know to protect themselves, staff members and patients. “Understanding Origins of Violence in Health Care Facilities” featured Jason Grellner of Evolv Technology and Drew Neckar of Cosecure. Both panelists spoke candidly about technology, terminology and steps that can be taken to dial down the danger at health care facilities.  

Lawsuit filed against Visiting Nurse Service entities and individual defendant for assault of hospice patient NewRamp; by NewRamp Editorial Staff; 10/22/24 The Law Offices of Robert E. Brown has filed a lawsuit against three Visiting Nurse Service entities and individual defendant Joy Odunze-Matthew following the violent assault of Carolyn Albanese, a terminally ill hospice patient under their care. The complaint alleges gross negligence by VNS and its affiliates for failing to properly vet, train, and supervise their staff, specifically the defendant Odunze-Matthew. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages to address the physical, emotional, and psychological harm suffered by Ms. Albanese and her family. 

Aging Mastery: 10 weeks, 10 topics to empower seniors for healthy living New Hampshire Union Leaders; by Kathleen D. Bailey; 10/20/24 Jen Brechtel, director of Community Health for the Granite VNA, said one of the biggest issues in the agency’s “Aging Mastery” program” is sleep. “It’s the topic people come in most for,” she said. “We partner with a sleep center to help them out. Another big one? Community engagement.” The Granite VNA and Hospice is interested in all factors affecting their senior clients. With a menu of data-driven programs, the agency is reaching out to help seniors master aging. The “Aging Mastery” program is a project of the National Council on Aging, according to Brechtel. ... The 10-week class, ongoing now in Sanbornton, has sessions devoted to the concepts that please (or plague) elders: navigating longer lives, exercise, sleep, healthy eating/hydration, financial fitness, advance planning, healthy relationships, medication management, community engagement and falls. Experts from the community take turns teaching the topics, with a VNA staffer as moderator.

Help at Home to acquire Helpmates, Inc. The Daily Herald, Huntingdon, PA; 10/21/24 Penn Highlands Healthcare and Excel Companion Care, LLC, doing business as Help at Home, have agreed to the acquisition of Helpmates, Inc., the health system’s non-skilled in-home services. Help at Home is a national in-home provider with a focus on unskilled personal care services. “The acquisition of Helpmates enables our health system to focus and grow the core services of Healthcare at Home which include home health and hospice,” said Cheryl Mitchell, Service Line Leader of Penn Highlands Healthcare at Home. ... The acquisition will occur on or around December 9, 2024 following governmental approval. 

Home health agencies may soon claim telehealth services during patients’ hospital stays McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 10/17/24 In a recent change, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that it would allow home health providers to submit claims for telehealth while their clients are receiving inpatient care. Currently, Medicare beneficiaries may not be inpatients in a hospital or skilled nursing facility and simultaneously receive home healthcare. CMS rejects any home health service claims that overlap with a patient’s hospital or SNF stay, and providers are responsible for submitting a new claim without any dates for service that coincide with an inpatient stay. In a recent change request, CMS announced that it would modify its rule to allow home health providers to submit telehealth claims even when their clients are in hospital or SNF care. The change specifically applies to telehealth services that fall under the G0320, G0321 or G0322 Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System codes.