Health care law firm Husch Blackwell secured a $44 million reduction in Medicare overpayment charges for an unnamed hospice client involved in an audit. The firm’s hospice and palliative care team appealed the overpayment finding, and the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) dismissed the claim denials. This left the hospice with a […]
Access to vaccines and additional provider relief are top policy priorities for hospice and palliative care organizations as the Biden Administration takes shape. As Congress and the White House mull over a new $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package, serious illness care providers and industry groups are advocating for sorely needed assistance. The House recently approved […]
Hospice providers across the country have revamped bereavement support during a time of isolation and loss as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Tennessee-based Alleo Health System has expanded its teen grief programming, taking group counseling and other outlets of support in the last year to help meet their unique needs. Alleo Health System adapted their bereavement […]
Like many health care providers, Baton Rouge, La.-based Amedisys Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED) did not come out of 2020 unscathed by the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, the company’s hospice segment grew during the outbreak and is anticipated to continue expanding, largely through acquisitions. Amedisys is benefitting from demographic tailwinds of the aging population and rising utilization that […]
BrightSpring Health Services has purchased Abode Healthcare from Summit Partners with a reported valuation of $775 million, PE Hub reported. The transaction is projected to bring the combined company roughly $6 billion in annual revenue. Louisville, -based BrightSpring’s total value currently rests at approximately $10 billion. Brightspring is a portfolio company of the global investment […]
While aging populations of color represent a growing base of patients with serious illness and end-of-life care needs, these groups are among the most underserved and underrepresented in the U. S. health care system. As research reflects a deepened racial divide in access to care and services, much is at stake for hospice care providers […]
Antonio Olivera, administrator of Southern California-based home health and hospice agency Mhiramarc Management LLC, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a Medicare fraud scheme involving $28 million in falsified health care claims. Olivera pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in November 2020, resulting in […]
Lewiston, Maine-based Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice will be expanding its palliative services with a new specialized care center in Portland, Maine. In addition to serving the community’s serious illness population, the Maine Center for Palliative Medicine will provide palliative care education and training programming to various health care clinicians and professionals. Hospices are increasingly […]
Racial, ethnic and sociodemographic divides are the leading barriers impacting advance care planning utilizations in the United States. Hospice providers working to expand access will need to take a closer look at the unique forces driving disparities, particularly among people of color. Studies have shown that advance care planning can reduce hospitalizations and health care […]
Assisted living facilities continue to represent one of the largest growth opportunities for hospices in the coming year, according to industry leaders who responded to the Hospice News 2021 Outlook Survey. The prospect of growth in assisted living remains promising despite challenges accessing patients in many locations due to restrictions brought on by the coronavirus […]
