Hospices Welcome Expanded Chaplain Services Codes, Seek Clarity on Applicability

Hospices are seeking greater clarity on updated Medicare rules that allow hospices to document a broader range of chaplain services on claims. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recently revised three existing items in the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), eliminating languages that limited their use to the health care arm […]

Kusserow: As Health Care Environment Changes, Amedisys Evolves

Wheels of change are in motion at Amedisys (NASDAQ: AMED) as CEO Paul Kusserow begins his second term at the helm. For starters, the company is going full-speed ahead on palliative care, delivered through its subsidiary Contessa Health. Amedisys yesterday announced a partnership with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee to cover those services, as well as […]

Amedisys Announces New Contracting Agreement with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee for Home-Based Palliative Care

Home health and hospice giant Amedisys Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED) has repeatedly voiced its enthusiasm for its palliative care business in early 2023. It now has another reason to be excited: a new contracting agreement with a key payer. On Wednesday, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Amedisys announced a new agreement with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee to […]

Study: Machine Learning Prompts Earlier Advance Care Planning, Reduces High-Cost Care

Mortality predictions and behavioral nudges by machine learning systems are associated with increased advance care planning utilization and reductions in high-acuity care. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania recently studied the effectiveness of machine learning algorithms in identifying high-risk cancer patients nearing the last six months of life between June 17, 2019 and April 20, […]

Behind Amedisys’ Embrace of At-Risk Palliative Care

For Amedisys Inc., (NASDAQ: AMED) CEO Paul Kusserow, risk is an opportunity, particularly when it comes to palliative care.  The growing prominence of palliative care — and the accompanying investments — may seem counterintuitive at first blush given the reimbursement environment. But with the advent of risk-based payment, the relatively young medical specialty is gradually […]

Amedisys Making Progress on Turnover, Earnings Stability

Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED) is seeing glimmers of improvement on the labor pressures that contributed to uneven earnings performance during 2022. The company has reduced its nurse turnover rate to the vicinity of 20%, surpassing the industry average, Brian Tanquilut, equity analyst for the investment banking firm Jefferies Financial Group, indicated in a note. Jeffries […]

Amedisys Prioritizing Palliative Care Expansion

Expanding its palliative care business is a rising priority for Amedisys Inc., (NASDAQ: AMED) following Chairman Paul Kusserow’s return as CEO. The company’s palliative care strategy rests on the back of risk-based payment models, primarily Medicare Advantage, Kusserow indicated at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. This push dovetails with the home health and hospice provider’s […]

10 ‘Hidden Gem’ Hospice News Stories from 2022

Huge acquisitions, the labor shortage and regulation dominated the news this year, but other important trends emerged that warrant attention. Below are 10 of this year’s “hidden gem” stories that didn’t quite make our top 10 most read. These cover the innovative partnerships, new technologies, pediatric care, health equity and other key developments in the […]

Key Trends That Will Shape the Hospice Industry in 2023

Most hospices are sliding into 2023 between a rock and a hard place, beset by headwinds, labor shortages and questions with no easy answers. Through the cracks, providers can see glimmers of improvement. A number of hospice leaders anticipate that the industry will settle into a “new normal,” having absorbed the shock of the pandemic […]