An advance care planning bill introduced in California has recently passed in the state Senate. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is now considering the legislation. If enacted, the legislation would introduce provisions to existing advance care planning options designed to improve access to goal-concordant care. Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-38) introduced the bill. “This legislation puts patients […]
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) has introduced a new bill designed to reduce financial barriers to hospice care for patients with blood conditions. The new Improving Access to Transfusion Care for Hospice Patients Act of 2026, if enacted, would require the U.S. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Center for Innovation to establish a new […]
Reps. Dr. John Joyce (D-Pa.), Dr. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) and Dr. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) have introduced the Patients First Act. The legislation is aimed at strengthening healthcare access, including among seriously ill seniors. The legislation reforms the Medicare physician fee schedule and establishes a primary care hybrid payment pilot program. The legislation was introduced to […]
U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have introduced a new bill designed to establish a public reporting outlet that better connects consumers to regulatory fraud enforcement efforts. The ReportScams.gov Act, if enacted, would establish an online portal for Americans to report scams and receive help from law enforcement and federal agencies. The […]
Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) has introduced a bill intended to fight the ongoing plague of hospice and home health fraud. The Protecting Seniors and Stopping Fraudsters Act is designed to bolster Medicare oversight, crack down on scammers, protect seniors from fraudulent enrollments and improve accountability across the hospice and home health system, according to […]
A federal district court in Oregon has allowed a lawsuit to proceed related to home-based psilocybin therapies for terminally ill, homebound individuals. Psilocybin facilitators sued the Oregon Health Authority to allow for “reasonable accommodations” for individuals who cannot travel to a service center due to an illness or disability. Plaintiffs have alleged that existing policies […]
U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly (R-Penn.) and Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) have introduced the Concurrent Care for Comfort Act, designed to ensure that hospice patients can receive dialysis treatment. The Concurrent Care for Comfort Act would clarify Medicare coverage policies for palliative dialysis and establish separate reimbursement for these services when provided by renal dialysis facilities and […]
The state of Oregon has passed a bill designed to secure hospice and palliative care patients’ ability to use medical cannabis, including in facilities. The legislation, dubbed Ryan’s Law, mandates that certain hospice, residential and palliative care providers permit qualified patients to use medical cannabis, and requires these providers to implement policies and staff training […]
Health care facilities in Louisiana could soon face steeper fines for violations under two bills advancing through the state legislature, aimed at strengthening oversight and accountability. Louisiana Senate Bill 273, targets hospice care in licensed facilities. The bill would require clearer care plans, improved communication between providers and families, and more thorough documentation of patient […]
Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) have re-introduced the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act, designed to modernize the Medicare Hospice Benefit, fight fraud and expand access to care. The bill contains a blend of program integrity provisions and payment reforms intended to “strengthen” the benefit, according to […]
