Hospice News

DECEMBER 18, 2023

As the need for palliation grows, outcomes and experiences vastly vary – with payment often at the crux of inconsistencies in quality and care delivery approaches. The topics range from unmet staff and patient needs, financial and operational headwinds and research fueling innovative care delivery approaches.

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 19, 2022

Hospice News spoke with a group of industry leaders — from publicly traded companies, private firms and nonprofit organizations — about the major trends and most pressing concerns on their radar as the new year approaches. Croix Hospice, a portfolio company of H.I.G. In 2023, I believe we’ll see a recovery in staffing and volumes.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

Expanding palliative care relationships and joint venture partnerships is a priority for 2024, the Louisiana-based home health and hospice provider indicated in a filing with the U.S. “Our 31, 2023, Contessa was a stakeholder in at least 10 joint ventures that were actively admitting patients, according to the SEC filing.

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Hospice News

MARCH 4, 2024

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will end the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID) as of Dec. Often called the “hospice carve-in,” the program was designed to test coverage of hospice care through Medicare Advantage, in addition to some coverage of palliative care and transitional care.

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Hospice News

OCTOBER 4, 2022

Only 10 new Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will offer home-based palliative care as a primarily health-related benefit for 2023, but payers may be offering those services through other programs. Among Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits, in-home support services and caregiver support saw the most year-over-year growth for 2023.

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 6, 2023

The following are the most-read Palliative Care News articles of 2023. #1 The JAMA Network Open study found that more than half of cancer decedents in states that require health care providers to offer palliative consultations died at home or at inpatient hospices versus a hospital setting.

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Hospice News

MARCH 5, 2024

The forces driving some community-based palliative programs to shutter are two-pronged, related to financial and operational sustainability, according to Renee McInnes, CEO of NVNA & Hospice. NVNA & Hospice provides home health, hospice and community-based palliative services. It’s really the funding.

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Hospice News

AUGUST 26, 2022

Medicare reimbursement is the lifeblood of hospice providers, and a clear understanding of policies like budget neutrality can help elucidate the payment systems that keep their businesses running. For example, CMS wouldn’t cut hospital payments to increase rates for hospices. These reductions occur within each service.

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 13, 2023

Contessa is a subsidiary of Amedisys (NASDAQ: AMED), which the home health and hospice provider acquired in 2021 for $250 million. Since at least 2022, Contessa has been pursuing palliative care reimbursement through Medicare Advantage. Palliative care has always kind of sat in the shadows of hospice.

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 13, 2022

Most hospices are sliding into 2023 between a rock and a hard place, beset by headwinds, labor shortages and questions with no easy answers. Government oversight of hospice providers will tighten during 2023. Hospices have faced ever-intensifying scrutiny from regulators in recent years. Be ready for regulation.

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Hospice News

MAY 30, 2023

Though nonprofit hospices now represent a smaller slice of the industry than in years past, they continue to care for more than half of patients in the United States who elect the benefit. The number of hospices operating nationwide rose to 5,3,58 in 2021, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

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Hospice News

MAY 18, 2023

But defining the range of communities that specifically lack access to hospice and palliative care can be a moving target. Hospices should apply a wide and varied lens when examining the populations in greatest need of end-of-life care, Garrett indicated. Hospice News photo.) But it’s important to lean towards other communities.

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Hospice News

OCTOBER 20, 2022

SCAN Health Plan is among the Medicare Advantage (MA) payers entering the hospice component of the value-based insurance design (VBID) payment demonstration in 2023. The four-year program — often called the Medicare Advantage hospice carve-in — launched Jan. Hospice VBID enters its third year in 2023.

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Hospice News

JANUARY 12, 2024

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has voted to recommend a freeze on hospice payment increases starting in 2025. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). For this year, CMS increased the hospice base rate by 3.1%. set in 2023.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

Once among the nation’s largest home health and hospice providers, Humana Inc. The following year, the insurance giant divested Kindred’s hospice and personal care segments, selling a 60% stake to the private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier and Rice (CDR) for $2.8 The company has its roots in the former Kindred at Home.

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Hospice News

MAY 1, 2024

NASDAQ: PNTG) has acquired Utah-based South Davis Home Health and South Davis Hospice. The Pennant Group and its independent operating subsidiaries provide health care services through 111 home health and hospice agencies and 51 senior living communities throughout several states. The Pennant Group, Inc. Seniors represent 12.1%

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Hospice News

JANUARY 3, 2024

The bipartisan legislation was introduced in December 2023 by Sens. The bill builds upon the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, designed to speed transitions to patient-centered, value-based care. With that alignment, palliative care has a stronger case to greatly improve quality and reduce spending.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

Hospice operators in 2024 are navigating a rapidly transforming environment. The prior three years have laid the groundwork for change, particularly in the regulatory space as well as gradual migration towards value-based reimbursement and in tandem, the proliferation of business lines beyond hospice.

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Hospice News

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

Rising demand and demographic tailwinds are propelling rapid growth in both the hospice and palliative care markets. A large concern is whether there will be enough hospice and palliative care providers to keep pace with demand, according to Brian Tanquilut, equity analyst in health care services at investment banking company Jeffries LLC.

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Hospice News

MARCH 20, 2023

Hospices are blazing trails toward growth, each provider with its own range of strategies. In 2023, the focus for many is to not only expand their core business but to spread further into the care continuum. By 2030, the hospice market’s total dollar value is expected to nearly double, reaching $64.7 billion, up from $34.5

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Hospice News

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

Health plan participation in the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID) will fall in 2024. For calendar year 2024, 13 Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) will participate in the program’s hospice component, providing coverage through 78 health plans in 19 states. million in 2023.

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Hospice News

JANUARY 19, 2024

Unity Hospice and Palliative Care of Greater Houston has unveiled a five-year general inpatient (GIP) service agreement with the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Health. The hospice will provide GIP care across the health system’s four hospitals. Unity Hospice and Palliative Care serves 13 counties in Texas.

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Hospice News

APRIL 5, 2024

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 2025 hospice rule is finalized as written, hospices may encounter some hurdles implementing some of the new requirements. CMS late last month issued its proposed hospice rule for 2025. If the U.S. The proposal called for a 2.6% The proposal called for a 2.6%

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Hospice News

MARCH 15, 2024

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has recommended to Congress a freeze on hospice payment increases starting in 2025. In its annual report to Congress, MedPAC urged policymakers to eliminate hospice base-rate increases for 2025. The 2021 aggregated Medicare hospice margin was 13.3%, according to MedPAC.

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 23, 2022

Illinois-headquartered Unity Hospice & Palliative Care has expanded to Houston, Texas, following its acquisition of an existing license in that market. This expansion coincides with Unity’s 30 th anniversary as a premier hospice and palliative care organization,” Unity owner Michael Klein told Hospice News in an email. “As

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 15, 2022

In this Voices interview, Hospice News sits down with Deanna Heath, VP of Hospice, KanTime, to talk about the potential impact of the Value-based Insurance Design (VBID) model on today’s hospice landscape. Hospice News: What career experiences do you most draw from, in your role today?

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Hospice News

JULY 11, 2023

It takes time to build up the payment, referral and workforce resources needed to support a sustainable palliative care program, according to Dr. Stephen Goldfine, chief medical officer at Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice. The New Jersey-based nonprofit offers hospice and palliative care, among other services.

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Hospice News

OCTOBER 12, 2022

Hospices and Accountable Care Organizations have the ability to customize payment contracts within the Realizing Equity, Access and Community Health (ACO REACH) program. 1, 2023, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is replacing the Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) model with ACO REACH.

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Hospice News

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

While home health operators brace for the impact of the meager 2023 reimbursement rates, hospices likewise must prepare for a ripple effect. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently established a 0.7% base rate payment increase for home health care in 2023. While this is an improvement from the 4.2%

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Hospice News

OCTOBER 20, 2023

Furthermore, poor transitions can spark hospital readmissions within 30 days, adversely affecting hospital quality ratings and Medicare reimbursement. A 2023 study by Front Public Health indicated that transitions from hospitals to home settings tend to be particularly complex and tricky. . Krmpotic said.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

After 75 years of service, Georgia-based hospice provider Visiting Nurse Health System (VNHS) has its sights set on the future. Founded in 1948, the organization was the first home-based care provider to operate in Georgia, and in 1975 launched the state’s first hospice program. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reported.

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Hospice News

MARCH 12, 2024

Program integrity and an onslaught of audits are top of mind for many hospice providers in 2024. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We look forward to continuing our work with CMS and Congress to ensure an equitable and effective enforcement system that preserves access to nonprofit, mission driven hospice care.”

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 14, 2022

SCAN Group and CareOregon have agreed to join forces in 2023 as a new organization called HealthRight Group. The new nonprofit will combine SCAN’s Medicare portfolio with CareOregon’s predominantly Medicaid health plans. The legacy SCAN would become the Medicare division of the company. Humana Inc.’s

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Hospice News

MAY 12, 2023

Patients with ovarian cancer who have received palliative care had fewer hospital readmissions compared to others, according to a recent study presented at the 2023 Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer from the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) in Tampa, Florida. The results help to demonstrate palliative care’s value proposition.

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Hospice News

JUNE 14, 2023

Hospices preparing for rising demand are facing compliance challenges, as these patients often require longer hospice stays. Many of these patients could benefit from receiving hospice care sooner and longer, but regulatory requirements can make that a challenging feat for providers, she said. A projected 12.7

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Hospice News

JANUARY 19, 2024

Though the number of hospice M&A deals plummeted in 2023 compared to prior years, deals are still being made, and the industry may see a rebound in 2024. Transaction volume declined in the hospice and home-based care space in 2023, following the two record-breaking prior years. The company in Q4 of last year saw a 33.9%

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Hospice News

MARCH 14, 2024

Hospices, in aggregate, are showing improvement on the quality measure for visits in the last days of life. In Calendar Year 2021, the share of hospice care days with nurse visits in the last seven days of life rose to 63%, up from 62% year over year, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).

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