Inside Hospice Organizations’ Special Focus Program Lawsuit Against HHS

The crux of a lawsuit filed by hospice organizations against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Thursday is the criteria that the agency uses to select hospices for the new Special Focus Program (SFP). A group of providers and state associations are plaintiffs in the suit, including Texas Association for Home […]

Hospice Organizations File Lawsuit to Halt Special Focus Program

A group of hospice providers and state associations have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over the implementation of the Special Focus Program (SFP). The organizations filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Texas-Houston Division. The plaintiffs include: Texas Association for Home […]

Top Hospice Trends to Watch in 2025

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 […]

Congress Extends Hospice Telehealth Flexibilities

Congress has extended the pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities through March 31, 2025. Early Saturday, legislators approved a continuing resolution to fund the government and avoid a shutdown. The bill contained language to extend the flexibilities, which includes the ability to perform face-to-face recertifications via telehealth. They were originally slated to expire on Dec. 31. The extension […]

Hospice of the Chesapeake Launches New Dementia Program Amid ‘Urgent, Significant’ Need

Hospice of the Chesapeake has unfurled a new dementia care program aimed at providing improved emotional, educational and practical support for patients and their caregivers as their conditions progress. Demographic trends were among the key factors that drove the program forward, said Monica Escalante, chief strategy and information officer at Hospice of the Chesapeake. The […]

NPHI Builds Resources to Enhance Support for Cancer Patients

Without family caregivers, many patients would not be able to receive hospice, palliative or other forms of home-based care. This is the challenge that faces many families of cancer patients, who may be unsure of what to do after their loved one receives a diagnosis. For this reason, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice […]

NPHI CMO, CIO Dr. Cameron Muir: Translate Hospice Quality into Value

As both Chief Medical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, Dr. Cameron Muir has committed to help guide operators towards a value-based future. NPHI is a national advocacy organization with more than 100 nonprofit advanced illness care providers, including those offering hospice and palliative care services. Muir […]

The Hospice CARE Act’s Potential to ‘Dramatically Reshape’ End-of-Life Care Delivery

Hospice providers and stakeholders are carefully examining the proposed changes included in the recently introduced Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act as the bill begins its journey through the legislative process. Leading concerns in the industry include the bill’s suggested regulatory reforms to address program integrity in the hospice industry, along with […]