The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently unveiled a new payment model demonstration designed to lower medication costs and improve outcomes among Medicaid beneficiaries, including seriously ill patient populations. Through the new Generating Cost Reductions (GENEROUS) model, pharmaceutical manufacturers will provide reduced supplemental rebates on drugs to participating state Medicaid programs. Recently […]

A Tuscaloosa, Alabama, community hospital has begun a novel partnership offering interdisciplinary palliative care training to hundreds of nurses, clinicians and caregivers. The supportive care clinic provides interdisciplinary palliative assessment and care to patients with advanced disease and high symptom burden, such as those with stage three and four lung cancers, advanced breast cancer and […]

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission’s (MACPAC) has called for greater collection of wage data to inform home- and community-based services (HCBS) rate settings in two federal health programs, raising concerns among some stakeholders. The commission’s recommendation would apply to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). If implemented, it would require […]

Strong educational partnerships can lead to more equitable exposure to hospice and palliative care delivery across an increasingly diverse population of medical students. Many students lack exposure to hospice and palliative care throughout the course of their medical training, an issue compounded among underrepresented minority groups. The trend has exacerbated disparities among underserved populations who […]

In the ever-evolving palliative care landscape, a new iteration of symptom management has emerged on the scene: the Chronic Illness Support model. Marquis Health Consulting and Constellation Health have partnered to offer this new program to three Pennsylvania long term care facilities. Among the facilities is Exton Post-Acute, which Marquis has supported since early 2025 following […]

The ability to sustain and grow a palliative care program hinges on successful retention and reimbursement strategies alongside a deep understanding of patient and family needs. This is according to Amy Lung, national senior general manager of palliative care at Carelon. The health care services brand is part of the insurance company Elevance Health (NYSE: […]

Some palliative care providers have integrated more nature-based storytelling therapeutic practices into their repertoire of services. These interventions can help support patients’ emotional and spiritual needs. Seriously ill patients and their families often report reduced distress following therapy projects that include a focus on nature and its connection to their current and past lived experiences, […]

Symmetries exist between palliative care and the services designed to be delivered through the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) program. In July, Andwell Health Partners in Maine began participating in GUIDE. Andwell Chief Medical Officer Dr. Vance Brown said he knew his organization had signed up […]

A new palliative care research consortium has been established, fueled by a $64 million five-year award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Advancing the Science of Palliative Care Research Across the Lifespan (ASCENT) consortium is aimed at improving quality of life among seriously ill patient populations. The consortium will provide resources, expertise and […]

Not all patients needing palliative care are able to receive it at home, despite a strong preference for in-home care from individuals facing serious illness. Challenges can arise from the level of care required, which may exceed the capacity of family or other caregivers, or from home environments that are not conducive to healing. In […]