Hospice leaders will need to keep their eyes on five key trends in the new year when it comes to compliance, business operations and finance. Coupled with these trends is rising utilization. Hospice utilization reached 51.7% among Medicare decedents in 2023, up more than two percentage points from the prior year, according to recent data […]
Last night, a farmer died in Georgia, leaving a legacy as long as a comet’s tail. James Earl Carter Jr., 100-years-old, passed away Sunday evening in his home where he had been receiving hospice care. Carter, a Democrat, served as the 39th president of the United States between 1977 and 1981. Previously, he was governor […]
Palliative care providers have explored diverse routes to improve quality and access to their services in 2024. Below are five under-the-radar stories that, while important, didn’t make our most read this year. The topics spanned evolving reimbursement trends, innovative care delivery partnerships and research examining the biggest barriers among undeserved populations. Palliative Care ‘Ahead of […]
“Access” was the watchword in the palliative care community during 2024, as providers sought more ways to reach the right patients at the right time. However, the momentum toward greater access is slow, even though researchers, payers, providers and regulators increasingly recognized the value of palliative when it comes to improved quality and health care […]
Fraud and program integrity concerns dominated the news in 2024, along with large acquisitions, payment rules and regulatory changes. This year saw regulatory evolutions spurred by program integrity concerns, as well as the introduction of landmark legislation, shifts in reimbursement trends and a change in presidential administration with unknown impacts across the care continuum. The […]
Hospice News explores the issues garnering growing attention in end-of-life care delivery in seven of this year’s “hidden gem” stories. Topics span trends related to program integrity, workforce development, health equity, service diversification and the keys to hospices’ growth strategies. Hospice Investors to Watch Hospice merger and acquisition (M&A) activity has seen a cooling period […]
Hospices have suffered more bad press due to the actions of fraudulent actors in the space. The HBO satirical news program Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on August 19 aired a segment on hospice fraud, waste and abuse. Early in the program, Oliver, who hosts the show, acknowledged the value of hospice care done […]
Traumatized and abused hospice patients and providers often experience an array of lingering physical, emotional and psychological effects that can fall into a silent abyss of unmet needs. Breaking down the barriers to stronger trauma-informed end-of-life care requires heightened awareness, legislative action and improved care delivery approaches. Some hospice providers have training and education around […]
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! Hospice operators in 2024 are navigating a rapidly transforming environment. The prior three years have laid the groundwork for change, particularly in the regulatory space as well as gradual migration […]
Palliative care is an evolving field. Though long-established as a medical specialty, these health care services have yet to reach their full potential due to reimbursement pressures, poor awareness and staffing headwinds. However, in recent years palliative care has been gaining ground, as more payers, providers and patients begin to realize what these services can […]
