Hospice News

APRIL 15, 2024

Though the Medicare Advantage hospice carve-in is going away at the end of this year, those operators still have a role to play in value-based care. The carve-in, formally known as the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID), will expire on Dec. Hospice care saves Medicare roughly $3.5

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Hospice News

JANUARY 17, 2024

Hospice providers, industry groups and other stakeholders recently penned a letter urging Congress to improve payment infrastructures that would increase access to end-of-life care among rural populations. For some rural areas, they’re not seen as financially feasible or sustainable to larger programs,” Kuhlman told Hospice News. “So,

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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

FEBRUARY 20, 2024

A federal jury has convicted Dr. John Thropay, a hospice medical director, on charges of health care fraud in a $2.8 Thropay was the medical director of several hospice companies, including Blue Sky Hospice, based in Van Nuys, California. The post Blue Sky Hospice Medical Director Convicted of $2.8M million scheme.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

The Hospice of North Central Ohio (HNCO) will affiliate with Hospice of Western Reserve, also located in the Buckeye state. Hospice of the Western Reserve is one of the leading nonprofit hospice agencies in the nation and shares our values for patient and family care,” Mary Knowlton, HCNO’s board president, said in a statement.

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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. The proposal called for a 2.6% The proposal called for a 2.6%

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Hospice News

APRIL 10, 2024

A lack of trained staff and evolving health laws are among the leading barriers to expanding perinatal palliative and hospice care among underserved populations. With regards to racial disparity, we know it’s out there,” Fisher told Hospice News. That drives who goes to perinatal hospice and who receives a certain type of care.

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Hospice News

APRIL 8, 2024

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) 2025 proposed hospice rule contained requests for information (RFIs) that could signal changes in the agency’s thinking on key issues. Through RFIs, CMS tries to take the pulse of providers’ positions on certain questions that could impact the Medicare Hospice Benefit.

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Hospice News

APRIL 19, 2024

Improving education and training for family caregivers may give hospices’ quality scores a boost. Maryland-based Hospice of the Chesapeake has introduced a standardized caregiver training program designed to enhance the work they had previously done in this area.

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Hospice News

MARCH 15, 2024

Documentation errors and a fragmented health system pose the greatest risks for adverse drug events among hospices. McPherson also serves on the board of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM). They also need to know which side effects are more concerning and should prompt a call to the hospice.”

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Hospice News

MARCH 27, 2024

Many hospices may be unprepared to cope with a large-scale disaster or a future pandemic. Last year, The Joint Commission implemented similar requirements for hospices. However, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed gaps in preparedness when it comes to hospice and palliative care. Increasingly, this factors into compliance.

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Hospice News

APRIL 12, 2024

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 2025 hospice rule contains clarifications on which physicians may certify patients for hospice enrollment. Clarification from CMS in these areas will be helpful to hospices, physicians and those reviewing hospice records for compliance.”

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Hospice News

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

Hospice of the Foothills of Nevada County has joined the California Hospice Network, a regional collaborative of nonprofit providers. Hospice of the Foothills launched in 1979 to serve two California counties as an all-volunteer organization and now cares for more than 500 patients and families annually.

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Hospice News

APRIL 19, 2024

Lawmakers in Connecticut and Vermont have recently introduced legislation aimed at protecting hospice and home health workers. Legislators in Vermont recently passed an act related to mental health response service guidelines and social service provider safety, which include community-based hospice providers and home health workers.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

Rising wages, reimbursement pressures and immigration policies are fueling high turnover rates for hospice and personal care aides. We were able to not just grow [but also] strengthen this workforce,” Klein told Hospice News. The national average wage rate for hospice aides is $18.23 It’s making them feel that they are valuable.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 28, 2024

Hospice of Cincinnati Unveils New Hospital-Based Inpatient Unit Hospice of Cincinnati has opened a new inpatient unit at The Christ Hospital. Auburn, Ohio, with the new inpatient hospice unit featuring 10 patient beds, a chapel and a family gathering space. The hospital is located in Mt.

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Hospice News

MARCH 28, 2024

Leigh Jenks, Hospice and Palliative Care Music Therapist for Blue Ridge Hospice, has been named a 2023 Frontline Honors honoree by Hospice News. Hospice News caught up with Jenks to discuss their time in the hospice care industry. Hospice is not something to fear. HSPN: What drew you to this industry?

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Hospice News

JANUARY 11, 2024

Finding the right balance of support and career development for bereavement care professionals is key to recruitment and retention as hospices combat labor strains. The weight of providing bereavement care can take a heavy toll on staff and impact turnover rates, according to Jennifer Kincaid, chief people officer at Hospice of the Piedmont.

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Hospice News

OCTOBER 17, 2023

Montgomery Hospice & Prince George’s Hospice has signed a memorandum of understanding to affiliate with Virginia-based Blue Ridge Hospice. The move could signal the start of a new hospice collaborative in the mid-Atlantic region. Montgomery Hospice & Prince George’s Hospice is headquartered in Maryland. “We

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Hospice News

MARCH 22, 2024

Having an adaptable approach to compliance is key in an evolving hospice regulatory environment. Heightening oversight has focused on hospice program integrity efforts, as well as increased auditing activity , changes in rules for hospice sales and financial penalties tied to quality reporting measures. It’s not a static issue.

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Hospice News

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Calls have grown louder for an overhauled design of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, but the path towards change is riddled with contrasting views over regulation, policy and payment structures. One part of the issue is that hospice reimbursement has not kept pace with evolving patient needs, Grant said.

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Hospice News

OCTOBER 30, 2023

A rising number of hospices have undergone name changes in recent years, prompting many to consider the elements of an effective rebranding strategy. Hospices should avoid brand names that are too generic or that focus on one particular service line or portion of their geographic footprint.

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Hospice News

MARCH 22, 2024

A group of seven nonprofit hospices has launched a palliative care organization branded as Integrity Care Partners. The founding organizations are each members of the Texas Nonprofit Hospice Alliance, a regional collaborative of which Integrity Care Partners is an extension.

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Hospice News

APRIL 8, 2024

HopeHealth has been growing its pediatric hospice and supportive care service lines in recent years to address a range of unmet needs among seriously ill children and their families. HopeHealth provides home care, hospice, palliative and dementia care, as well as caregiver and grief support services. I’m a pediatrician.

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Hospice News

JANUARY 25, 2024

National hospice utilization rates have fallen since 2020, though the total number of patients served remains consistent. The aging population continues to increase, so even as the percentage of patients served decreases, the total number of patients served increases,” Ware told Hospice News. “The About 47.3% About 47.3% In 2021, 1.71

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 12, 2023

Program integrity issues that have heated up in the hospice space during the past five years reached a boiling point in 2023. Hospice providers have seen an array of increased regulatory oversight in 2023. There is scrutiny on hospice care [that’s] setting the stage for the next phase of what hospice oversight looks like.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

Sarah Bush Lincoln Opens New Hospice Illinois-based Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospice recently opened a new inpatient facility. Located in Mattoon, Illinois, the Willow Breeze Hospice House features eight patient rooms with private bathrooms. The hospice provider is part of the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System, which opened in 1977.

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Hospice News

MARCH 6, 2024

Coastal Hospice & Palliative Care recently began exploring ways to improve clinical outcomes during the last days of life, an important quality measure in end-of-life care. Established in 1980, Maryland-based Coastal Hospice serves four counties in its home state. The HVLDL is part of the U.S.

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Hospice News

MARCH 8, 2024

Variations in hospice certificate of need (CON) state laws are raising program integrity concerns. What ends up happening in states without CON is actually lower hospice utilization with way too many hospices in one service area, and often fragmented care without all four levels of hospice offered,” Ponder-Stansel told Hospice News.

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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. 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.” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

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Hospice News

MARCH 8, 2024

Tightened regulation in the hospice space has led to longer, more stringent diligence processes when it comes to buying and selling provider companies. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has honed in on hospice program integrity through a number of new regulations, including some in the agency’s 2024 hospice final rule.

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Hospice News

JANUARY 8, 2024

The home health and hospice provider New Day Healthcare has acquired Texas-based Compassion Hospice for an undisclosed amount. The company’s nearly 6,500 employees serve close to 100,000 patients annually across all of its business lines, including home health, hospice, pediatrics, clinical decision support and personal care.

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 13, 2024

Having peer-support and employee feedback loops are key pieces in some hospices’ onboarding models. Rising demand for hospice amid prolific clinical workforce shortages has providers laser-focused on effective recruitment and retention strategies. It’s getting doses of training that are more meaningful.”

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Hospice News

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Hospice providers are increasingly focused on memory care settings and physician offices as referral sources. Though many hospices see facility-based care as their primary referral engines, a growing base of providers are seeking ties to community-based organizations to increase access and utilization this year.

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Hospice News

APRIL 19, 2024

Sierra is the palliative care arm of California-based Hospice of the Foothills, designed to care for nonterminal patients who have serious or chronic conditions. Sierra’s parent organization, the nonprofit Hospice of the Foothills, had previously collaborated with Mettle on a conference held last year.

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Hospice News

DECEMBER 13, 2023

VITAS Healthcare Expands Hospital-Based Inpatient Hospice Center Chemed Corp. NYSE: CHE) VITAS Healthcare recently expanded its inpatient hospice care unit at the Florida-based Broward Health Medical Center. Miami-based VITAS has provided community- and facility-based hospice care in the Broward County area since 1980.

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Hospice News

MARCH 6, 2024

A new legislative package winding its way through Congress could re-allocate hospice funds to other programs. If enacted, it would make adjustments to the hospice payment cap for 2033 that would free up $927 million. The nation’s four largest hospice industry groups have voice opposition to these provisions. for next year.

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