The term “personalized medicine” is often used to describe health needs based on a patient’s genetics. However, more stakeholders are applying the term to palliative care. Personalized medicine is a step away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to health care. The model uses information gathered from a patient’s genome to plan for care, treatment and services, […]
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. “Based on the positive indicators of payment adequacy and strong margins, the Commission concludes that current payment rates are sufficient […]
Senior living and health care services operator The Dover Companies has launched a home health and hospice business branded as Dover Health. The fledgling company pledges to offer patients a suite of wraparound services, including for the terminally ill, to support quality of life and aging in place. Its parent organization also operates senior living, […]
Changes in the marketplace have made further acquisitions by VITAS Healthcare more likely. VITAS, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE), recently announced its first deal in several years, the $85 million purchase of hospice assets from Covenant Health. While the company does not comment on its specific acquisition plans or its pipeline, VITAS may […]
Hospices, in aggregate, are showing improvement on the quality measure for visits in the last days of life. The number of registered nurse and social worker visits during a patient’s final week is one of the seven quality measures that CMS uses to evaluate providers. In Calendar Year 2021, the share of hospice care days […]
A range of medical specialties are incorporating palliative care principles into their care models. The trend points to ways that patients might receive palliative services through new avenues, such as geriatrics, primary care or home health care. Through palliative integration, these providers can make their care models more patient-centered, Alex Binder, vice president of Parker […]
As hospice program integrity remains in the spotlight, California remains the only state to take action on curbing the problem. Beginning in 2021, numerous reports emerged of unethical or illegal practices among hundreds of newly licensed hospices, particularly among new companies popping up in California, Texas, Nevada and Arizona. California’s Department of Justice (CDOJ) in […]
In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! The bereavement care tech startup Empathy has secured $47 million in a Series B funding round led by Index Ventures. Other participating investors include General Catalyst, Entrée Capital, Latitude, and […]
In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! Program integrity and an onslaught of audits are top of mind for many hospice providers in 2024. The nation’s four largest hospice industry organizations — LeadingAge, the National […]
Want to read more palliative care-focused content like this? Subscribe to Palliative Care News today! Embedding palliative care-trained social workers in hospital emergency departments can help health care providers effectively serve some of the most vulnerable patients. Populations who most need palliative care are often chronically ill seniors with complex health conditions. Between 2014 and […]