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4 Key Trends for Hospices to Watch in 2024

Hospice News

While some hospice companies reported hiring and capacity gains in 2023, often driven by bonus programs, the problem persists for many providers. This includes tasks like clinical documentation, a major pain point for clinicians who wish to focus more on their patients.

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Investigators, Prosecutors Take on Hospice Fraud in California, Arizona

Hospice News

Kevin Sarkisyan, of San Gabriel Hospice & Palliative Care, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government for his involvement in submitting false enrollment applications to Medicare that hid the “real owners of a hospice company,” according to court documents.

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Hospice Medical Director Receives 50-Month Prison Sentence for $150M Fraud

Hospice News

A federal judge has sentenced Jesus Virlar-Cadena, formerly a medical director for the Texas-based hospice company Merida Group, to 50 months in prison for his role in a $152 million scheme. She lost her appetite, isolated herself and stopped sleeping because she feared she would never wake up, court document s show.

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Justice Department Indicts 3 Suspects on Hospice, PPP Fund Fraud

Hospice News

Karen Sarkisyan, Gayk Akhsharumov, and Babken Chalkadryan, of San Gabriel Hospice & Palliative Care and Broadway Hospice were each charged in the U.S The Justice Department is now investigating allegations of widespread fraud in how some of those funds were used, as well as possible instances involving the Provider Relief Fund.

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VitalCaring Primed for Hospice Expansion in 2024

Hospice News

The Texas-based home health and hospice company VitalCaring Group was built largely through acquisitions, and the company expects to step up that strategy in 2024 with an emphasis on hospice. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)] implements that. That keeps me up at night.

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Attorney Ari Markenson: 36-Month Rule Will Have Cooling Effect on Hospice Deals

Hospice News

New rules for changes in hospice ownership are likely to slow down or kill some mergers and acquisitions, according to Ari Markenson, partner at the law firm Venable LLP. Another recently proposed rule would require anyone who holds 5% ownership or more in a hospice must submit to a criminal background check, including fingerprints.

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What New Allegations that HCA Healthcare Pressured Patients Mean for Hospices

Hospice News

SEIU analyzed Medicare claims data showing that the average hospice transfer rate among HCA hospital discharges was nearly 40% above the national average in 2021 and represented a 50% growth rate over four years. For one, hospice utilization has been on a steady upswing nationally for several years. told Hospice News.