Literature Review

Pennant announces home health acquisition in Wyoming Pennant Group, Eagle, ID; Press Release; 9/3/25 The Pennant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PNTG), the parent company of the Pennant group of affiliated home health, hospice, home care and senior living companies, announced today that effective September 1, 2025, it has acquired a premier home health agency and outpatient therapy operation in Wyoming. Both businesses, which will continue operating as Healing Hearts Home Health and Healing Hearts Outpatient Therapy, will serve communities in Gillette and Moorcroft, expanding Pennant’s service area in the region.

70% of Americans oppose Medicare home health cuts, national poll finds National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 9/4/25A new national poll by Fabrizio Ward, commissioned by the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance), finds that seven in ten Americans oppose the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) 2026 Medicare home health proposed rule, which would slash Medicare home health funding by an additional 9%, or $1.1 billion, next year. These cuts would put lifesaving home health care for millions of Americans at risk, particularly seniors and those with disabilities, while doing nothing to address fraud, waste, and abuse occurring in the home health payment system.  

Charlton senior care facility moves hospice, palliative care services to Gardner subsidiary Worcester Business Journal (WBJ), Worcester, MA; by Mica Kanner-Mascolo; 8/29/25 The Overlook, a senior care facility, has transitioned its home health, hospice and palliative care services to a Central Massachusetts care system as the Charlton-based operation aims to refocus its core offerings at its flagship location. The Overlook offloaded its home health, hospice and palliative care offerings provided through its Visiting Nurse Association to Gardner-based Care Central VNA & Hospice, effective Thursday. “For more than 25 years, OVNA has been privileged to care for thousands of residents/patients, providing comfort, dignity, and support in their homes,” Tameryn Campbell, president and CEO of The Overlook, said in a Thursday press release. “We are heartened to find a mission-minded, non-profit organization in Care Central VNA & Hospice.”

Advocate Health investing $3B across rural footprint: 8 things to know Becker's Hospital Review; by Alan Condon; 8/15/25 Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health is investing more than $3 billion across its rural operations to preserve care access, expand services and build a sustainable pipeline of providers for the future. The investment comes at a time when nearly half of rural hospitals are operating at a loss and 800 are at risk of closure, according to an analysis by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. Twenty-one of Advocate Health’s nearly 70 hospitals are located in rural counties across six states, along with more than 320 rural clinics and a network of mobile and virtual programs [including hospice care]. 

The mixed home-based care dealmaking outlook Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 8/18/25 ... Kris Novak, managing director of The Braff Group, explained that M&A experts are seeing similar volumes to the last couple of years. While some segments of home-based care face significant challenges that can slow dealmaking, others are insulated from some external factors. Overall, an uptick in transaction activity is right around the corner. ... Novak noted that, in addition to home care, we can expect to see a number of hospice acquisitions as the year continues. ... Novak also predicts that we may see PE interest in what are described as more niche segments of home-based care, such as private-duty nursing or pediatrics.

Medicaid payments and racial and ethnic disparities in Alzheimer disease special care unitsThe Journal of the American Medical Association - JAMA Network Open; by Huiwen Xu, PhD, Shuang Li, PhD, John R. Bowblis, PhD, Monique R. Pappadis, PhD, Yong-Fang Kuo, PhD; James S. Goodwin, MD; 8/4/25 In this cohort study of 13, 229 nursing homes, those with higher proportions of Black or Hispanic residents were less likely to have Alzheimer disease special care units. The disparities among nursing homes serving high proportions of Black residents, however, narrowed and even disappeared in states with higher Medicaid payment-to-cost ratios. ... This study suggests that more generous Medicaid payments may be associated with improved availability of specialized dementia care in nursing homes that serve primarily marginalized Black residents.

This test tells you more about your heart attack risk KFF Health News; by Paula Span; 8/1/25 A long list of Lynda Hollander’s paternal relatives had heart disease, and several had undergone major surgeries. ... A cardiologist told Hollander that based on factors like age, sex, cholesterol, and blood pressure, she faced a moderate risk of a major cardiac event, like a heart attack, within the next 10 years. ... Her doctor explained that a coronary artery calcium test, ... could provide a more precise estimate of her risk of atherosclerotic heart disease. “The test is used by more people every year,” said Michael Blaha, co-director of the preventive cardiology program at Johns Hopkins University. Calcium scans quadrupled from 2006 to 2017, his research team reported, and Google searches for related terms have risen even more sharply. Yet “it’s still being underused compared to its value,” he said. One reason is that although the test is comparatively inexpensive ...Editor's Note: Good news. This test predicts and protects heart health, potentially providing extra years of good (or at least better) quality of life. Bad news. It is "being underused compared to its value," partly because "the test is comparatively inexpensive"? Bad news. What does the low-cost factor say ethics, choices, and quality of life? Good news. Because of my family's cardiac history, my physician recently recommended I take this test. I did, and received great results! I move into the future with greater confidence, less fear, and more gratitude for the some 100,00 heartbeats we each experience, each day.

Hospice of Marion County holds monthly Memory Cafes Marion Citizen; by Diane Renyhart; 7/30/25 ...  It is estimated that 15,000 Marion County residents are struggling with some form of dementia. There are over 600 Memory Cafes around the country, and we are fortunate to have one here in Ocala as part of the Dementia Education Program at Hospice of Marion County. The Memory Cafes are held the second Friday of each month at the Empath Health Hospice Elliot Center and feature special themes. The meeting room is decorated and the tables have centerpieces that often include balloons. ... Every meeting features special activities each month. The local Memory Café has partnered with Arts and Health Ocala Metro.

How proposed home health cuts could impact hospices  Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/1/25Proposed cuts to home health payments for 2026 could have somewhat of a ripple effect on hospices. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has called for a 6.4% aggregate cut to home health payments for 2026 in a proposed rule. The total reductions amount to $1.135 billion. This is the fourth straight year in which CMS has cut or proposed to cut home health payments. Due to this proposed rule, the agency has “failed” providers, according to Dr. Steven Landers, CEO for the National Alliance for Care at Home.

The complexity of multi-service organizations Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Christ Comeaux with Rebecca Ramsy and Mark Jarman-Howe; 7/30/25 Rebecca Ramsay and Mark Jarman-Howe, two dynamic leaders who are navigating the evolving world of hospice and multi-service healthcare with vision and heart,  share their experiences in managing diverse service lines, emphasizing the importance of culture, workforce resilience, and community engagement. Rebecca and Mark discuss the challenges of balancing mission and margin while fostering innovation and collaboration. The conversation underscores the importance of strategic planning, mentorship, and understanding regulatory frameworks to navigate the healthcare landscape effectively.  

Why more seniors are going broke in the last 5 years of life SavingAdvice.com; by Riley Jones; 7/27/25 ... According to recent data, more seniors than ever are entering the last five years of life with little to no savings, and some are accumulating serious debt. Despite years of work, careful budgeting, and modest living, the final chapter of life is becoming one of the most financially devastating. ...

Where UnitedHealthcare, Humana rule the Medicare Advantage market Modern Healthcare; by Tim Broderick; 7/22/25 Medicare Advantage competition was meager in 97% of counties last year, where beneficiaries could choose among just a handful of dominant insurers. The health policy research institution KFF analyzed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data on the plans available across the U.S. and Puerto Rico in 2024. The findings indicate that Medicare enrollees have few options in most areas. Market share was “highly concentrated” in 79% of counties and “very highly concentrated” in another 18%, KFF found, using metrics similar to those the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department employ to measure competitiveness. ... Ninety-three percent of Medicare-eligible people lived in “highly concentrated” or “very highly concentrated” counties. ... [Click here and scroll down for the national map with] the level of Medicare Advantage market concentration for each county and the market share for each county's top insurer.

Filling the gaps with the loss of Wilshire Health and Community Services NBC KSBY-6, California's Central Coast; by Dylan Foreman; 7/22/25 At the end of June, the longtime medical service provider Wilshire Health and Community Services, which offered everything from hospice and home health care to community services like counseling and transportation, closed its doors, leaving clients looking for help elsewhere. ... [Services] like home health and hospice care are being transferred over to organizations like Dignity Health Home Health and Hospice Care, getting 50% of the patients from Wilshire and sending offers out to 30% of their staff. According to Wilshire, on any given day, they could have at least 250 clients.