Hospice payment suspensions by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have hit vendors hard, including pharmacies and durable medical equipment (DME) companies. CMS earlier this year began suspending Medicare payments to hundreds of hospices allegedly due to suspected fraud. Providers received letters indicating that they were suspended for at least 180 days, […]
Atlanta-headquartered Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: AVAH) has seen recent growth across all three of its healthcare segments. The company is narrowing its strategic sights toward hospice and home health. Aveanna offers hospice and home health, private duty and medical solution services across 39 states. The company provides care to medically complex and chronically ill […]
Regulatory uncertainty has been one of the biggest factors influencing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the home health and hospice sectors. In this interview, Cory Mertz, managing partner with the M&A advisory firm Mertz Taggart, discusses how the proposed home health payment rule, heightened regulatory scrutiny and compliance expectations are affecting deal activity, as well […]
The Pennant Group Inc. (Nasdaq: PNTG) is investing in technology to meet rising demand as its hospice and home health segment swells. Meanwhile, the company is navigating recent regulatory changes to improve program integrity. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a “key focus area” for the company when it comes to boosting revenue, quality and operational efficiency, […]
Chapters Health System has recently completed its affiliation with Oregon-based Housecall Providers. The two organizations penned an agreement to affiliate in February. The move will allow Chapters to significantly expand geographically and grow its value-based services, the organization indicated. Housecall Providers offers hospice, advanced illness care and home-based primary care. Joining forces has the potential […]
Addus Homecare (Nasdaq: ADUS) is hungry for acquisitions, with home care and skilled home health at the top of the menu. The company is seeking to build density and expand into new markets as it works to develop stronger relationships with Managed Care Organizations and other payers, according to Chairman and CEO Dirk Allison. “We […]
UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) subsidiary Optum Health is churning toward quality and cost improvement as the company leverages its technology initiatives. The insurance mammoth and healthcare provider UnitedHealth Group has reoriented the way it uses artificial intelligence (AI) across its internal systems and commercial products. During the last year, the company has advanced a series […]
Center for Hospice Care (CHC) and Visiting Nurse Association Hospice of Northwest Indiana (VNA Hospice NWI) have entered into a legally binding strategic affiliation. The integration is expected to allow patients to transition seamlessly across a unified nonprofit care network, with no disruption to their continuity of care, according to the organizations. The two hospices […]
VITAS Healthcare is shifting more of its attention towards acquisitions during a six-month national moratorium on Medicare hospice enrollment. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a temporary national moratorium on hospice and home health Medicare enrollment in May. Set to expire in November 2026, the move halted new hospice growth across […]
LiveWell Partners has acquired Michigan Community VNA Home Health and Hospice, expanding its home-based care footprint in Michigan. The transaction marks LiveWell’s third acquisition in Michigan. Michigan Community VNA is based in Detroit and provides skilled home health, therapies, palliative care and hospice services throughout that metropolitan area. The company will not rebrand and will continue with its current leadership […]
