COVID Pounds Brookdale’s Hospice Segment

The COVID-19 pandemic pummeled Brookdale Senior Living’s (NYSE: BKD) hospice segment during the third quarter, despite seeing growth earlier in the year. While patients do not have to be residents of Brookdale’s senior living communities to use their health care services, that is where the company obtains most of its hospice business. With widespread disruption […]

Addus on the Hunt for Hospice, Home Health M&A

Despite taking some hits from the COVID-19 pandemic and rising labor costs in some markets, hospice provider Addus Homecare Corp. (NASDAQ: ADUS) is dipping its toes back into the mergers and acquisitions game.  Addus backed off pursuing acquisitions during the early stages of the pandemic, as did much of the hospice industry in the first […]

VITAS Sees Growth Despite Dip in Length of Stay

VITAS, the hospice subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NYSE: CHE), continues to achieve financial growth despite seeing a drop in median patient length of stay and a reduction in high acuity services, such as general inpatient care and continuous home care. The pandemic has led to a drop in referrals from nursing homes and assisted living […]

Amedisys Expanding Hospice Referral Network in Response to COVID-19

Post-acute care company Amedisys (NASDAQ: AMED) will be growing its referral network to include more non-institutional providers due to a shifting patient mix brought on by COVID-19. The pandemic has led to a drop in referrals from institutional health care providers, but created an uptick among other organizations that transition eligible patients to hospice. The […]

Encompass Health Hospice Segment Stands Up to COVID-19 Headwinds

Encompass Health’s (NASDAQ: EHC) hospice segment has proven resilient to pandemic-related headwinds compared to the company’s other business lines. Hospice saw revenue and census growth during the third quarter of 2020 even as the company’s home health operations saw some declines due to reduced referrals and fallout from the patient-driven groupings model (PDGM). The company […]

Brookdale Achieves Hospice Growth Despite COVID-19 Obstacles

Rising volume in its hospice business helped deflect the impact of COVID-19 headwinds on Brookdale Senior Living’s (NYSE: BKD) Health Care Services Segment in the second quarter, which saw a sharp decline in home health admissions.  Home health admissions have been falling off industry-wide during the pandemic due to widespread limitations on elective procedures and […]

LHC Group Looks Ahead to Robust Hospice M&A Through 2020

Hospice and home health provider LHC Group (NASDAQ: LHCG) is doubling down on hospice expansion through the last half of the year. Having voiced its intention to double its national hospice footprint last December, the company expects to cast a wider net in 2020 through acquisitions with joint venture partners.  Similar to many providers across the country, […]

VITAS Sees Growth Despite COVID-19 Costs

A rise in patient census pulled up revenues for hospice provider VITAS Healthcare, a subsidiary of Chemed Corp. (NASDAQ: CHE) in the second quarter, despite declining admissions and rising expenses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.  In addition to VITAS, Chemed owns the plumbing company Roto-Rooter.   The company’s average daily census reached 19,195 patients during the […]

Amedisys Takes Hits from COVID-19, Hospice Recovery on Horizon

Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED) was among many hospice providers weathering second quarter storms in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic continued to spread its reach into financial bottom lines. While COVID-19 headwinds have limited the provider’s anticipated recovery in Q2, improving patient volumes and shifts in regulatory rules are among the factors contributing to positive projections […]

Encompass Health Rebounds After First Quarter COVID-19 Slump

Encompass Health (NASDAQ: EHC)  in the second quarter overcame the financial onslaught brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, despite millions of dollars in increased costs for personal protective equipment (PPE), supplies, and increased paid time off and paid leave for staff.   Things started to look up for Encompass in Q2, propelled by demographic tailwinds and […]