Hospice News

JANUARY 29, 2024

Therefore, we can expect continued demand for palliative care, the slow evolution of payment models that could support further growth and more partnerships among providers across the continuum designed to boost utilization and slash expenditures. Rising demand In 2024, demand will continue to rise, driven by a number of factors.

Palliative care 278

Palliative care 2024 Palliate 2030 278

Hospice News

DECEMBER 8, 2023

Hospice providers will be looking to Congress in 2024 to address issues related to program integrity, quality improvement and industry-wide workforce pressures. As legislative efforts develop, hospices may want to focus their attention on a few key legislators. Elected to the U.S.

2024 298

2024 Hospice Palliative care Medicare 298

Hospice News

JANUARY 19, 2024

Though the number of hospice M&A deals plummeted in 2023 compared to prior years, deals are still being made, and the industry may see a rebound in 2024. Transaction volume declined in the hospice and home-based care space in 2023, following the two record-breaking prior years. and JPMorgan Chase also own a stake.

2024 278

2024 Hospice Homecare 2023 278

Hospice News

DECEMBER 4, 2023

After the tumultuous years of the pandemic, VITAS Healthcare expects a stable growth trajectory heading into 2024. Though the company has not yet released financial guidance for 2024, VITAS anticipates a “predictable” 2024 in terms of earnings and growth, executives said at Monday’s Bank of America Healthcare Conference.

2024 278

2024 Social worker 2023 2020 278

Hospice News

DECEMBER 9, 2024

About 6% of hospice providers indicated plans to diversify their services to include end-of-life doulas in the Hospice News 2024 Outlook Survey. A significant driver of this interest is a doulas ability to help patients access and understand their health care options as their illnesses progress.

2024 264

2024 Bereavement Hospice Grief 264

Hospice News

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Calls have grown louder for an overhauled design of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, but the path towards change is riddled with contrasting views over regulation, policy and payment structures. One part of the issue is that hospice reimbursement has not kept pace with evolving patient needs, Grant said.

Medicare 289

Medicare Hospice 2020 2019 289

Hospice News

NOVEMBER 2, 2023

This evolving mix of hospice regulation has placed staff oversight at the forefront of ensuring compliance, according to Christie Piland, director of education at Caris Healthcare. Additional services include palliative care, a veterans program and care coordination. On Wednesday, the U.S. It’s about your internal standards.”

2024 263

2024 Hospice Document Medicare 263

Hospice News

JUNE 27, 2024

Battling fraud Reports of unethical or illegal practices have surged, particularly among hundreds of newly certified hospices in California, Texas, Nevada and Arizona. Recent evidence indicates that more of these providers are being enrolled in Medicare despite the U.S. Colin Allred (D-Texas). The program began implementation on Jan.

2024 246

2024 Hospice Palliative care Palliate 246

Hospice News

JULY 12, 2024

The forthcoming Hospice Care Accountability, Reform and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act from U.S. Blumenauer announced the bill in June at the Hospice News Elevate conference in Washington D.C. Hospice News / Merz Photography Hospice News / Merz Photography Rep. Hospice News photo by Merz Photography.

Hospice care 270

Hospice care 2027 Hospice End-of-life care 270

Hospice News

JULY 26, 2024

The most recent iteration of Hospice Care Accountability, Reform and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act, currently in a discussion draft phase, could have some unintended consequences in the future of end-of-life care delivery. Developed by U.S. Blumenaur’s office and members of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Hospice care 290

Hospice care Hospice End-of-life care 2024 290

Hospice News

JUNE 26, 2024

Development of the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act has signaled that a wave of change may be on the horizon in end-of-life care delivery – including how patients are certified to receive these services. The area of end-of-life care was ripe for a pilot project.

End-of-life care 278

End-of-life care Hospice care Hospice Medicare 278

Hospice News

NOVEMBER 17, 2023

This year has brought both tumultuous challenges and evolving opportunities for hospices that will steer hospice leadership during 2024. Hospice News spoke with a group of industry leaders about the most impactful forces that will shape the space in the coming year. Hospice care reduces Medicare expenditures by about $3.5

2024 289

2024 Hospice 2030 Medicare 289

Hospice News

DECEMBER 7, 2023

Strong performance on the Hospice Care Index is becoming increasingly essential to securing payer and referral contracts and will be a key consideration in the federal government’s forthcoming Special Focus Program (SFP). The Hospice Care Index can be a referral driver. CMS finalized the Jan.

Hospice care 278

Hospice care Hospice 2024 Medicare 278

Hospice News

DECEMBER 18, 2024

Hospice investment trends took myriad routes this year, seeing a few common threads occurring among nonprofit and for-profit entities that hint at where the market may be heading. The scope of hospice deals in 2024 encompassed joint ventures and collaborative affiliations in addition to acquisitions.

2024 260

2024 Hospice Palliative care Palliate 260

Hospice News

JULY 28, 2023

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is giving hospices a 3.1% increase to their per diem payments for 2024, according to a final rule published Friday. That will translate to a $780 million bump to hospice payments next year compared to Fiscal Year 2023, according to CMS. for next year, up from $32,486.92

2024 246

2024 Hospice 2023 Medicare 246

Hospice News

APRIL 3, 2023

The 2024 proposed hospice rule from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) signals the agency’s earliest response to widespread calls to bolster program integrity within the benefit. Other provisions are designed to promote greater transparency around hospice ownership. In additional to a 2.8%

2024 246

2024 Hospice Medicare Palliative care 246

Hospice News

JANUARY 12, 2024

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has voted to recommend a freeze on hospice payment increases starting in 2025. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The 2021 aggregated Medicare hospice margin was 13.3%, according to MedPAC.

Hospice 279

Hospice 2025 Medicare End-of-life care 279

Hospice News

MARCH 21, 2024

Members of Congress are raising questions about the continued Medicare certification for new hospices in areas rife with fraud. Some of these providers engaged in referral kickback schemes, enrolled patients who were not eligible for hospice and lied to them about being terminally ill. of hospices) 2024 (No.

2010 264

2010 Hospice Medicare 2024 264

Hospice News

DECEMBER 23, 2024

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has made public its first cohort for the hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). Finalized in the 2024 home health payment rule, the program is designed to identify poor performing hospices, mandate quality improvement and in some cases impose additional penalties.

Hospice 290

Hospice 2019 Care at home Medicare 290

Hospice News

JULY 30, 2024

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled its final 2025 hospice rule, which includes a 2.9% The increase represents an estimated $790 million rise in total hospice payments compared to Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. increase in per diem payments alongside new quality reporting measures.

2025 306

2025 Hospice 2024 Medicare 306

Hospice News

JUNE 12, 2024

Inflation and rising health care utilization are driving U.S. health care spending to growth faster than the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The nation’s health care spend is projected to reach nearly $5.1 trillion in 2024, up from $4.5 Hospice care saves Medicare roughly $3.5

2024 278

2024 Medicare 2023 2022 278

Hospice News

MARCH 29, 2024

The 2025 proposed hospice rule is raising some questions along with payment rates. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a 2.6% increase in hospice per diems for 2025. We know that hospice care has demonstrated $3.5 Hospice care saves Medicare roughly $3.5

2025 288

2025 Medicare Medical director Palliate 288

Hospice News

MARCH 15, 2024

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has recommended to Congress a freeze on hospice payment increases starting in 2025. In its annual report to Congress, MedPAC urged policymakers to eliminate hospice base-rate increases for 2025. The 2021 aggregated Medicare hospice margin was 13.3%, according to MedPAC.

2025 253

2025 2002 Hospice Medicare 253

Hospice News

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its 2024 home health rule, including the implementation of a hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). The rule also finalizes the proposed “36-month”rule for hospice providers.

Hospice 312

Hospice Medicare 2024 2019 312

Hospice News

DECEMBER 12, 2024

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has not responded to congressional concerns about the hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). Set for 2025 implementation, the SFP promises to identify hospices delivering poor quality care and target them for improvement remedies.

2025 264

2025 Medicare 2023 2019 264

Hospice News

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Investment trends in the hospice industry have meandered in recent years, impacting providers’ approaches to growth in 2024. The mix of hospice buyers has become more diverse during the past five years to include more private equity investors, large health and hospital systems and home health companies, along with payers.

2024 229

2024 Hospice Geriatrics Palliative care 229

Hospice News

DECEMBER 12, 2023

Hospice News sat down with providers, advocacy groups, legal experts and other stakeholders to uncover the most significant hospice regulatory trends from this year and their anticipated impacts heading into 2024 and beyond. Many established services for the purpose of selling the license at a profit or defrauding Medicare.

2023 317

2023 Hospice 2024 Medicare 317

Hospice News

MARCH 23, 2023

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is extending the value-based insurance design demonstration for calendar years 2025 to 2030, including the hospice component. The hospice component of VBID, also called the MA carve-in, launched in 2021 and was originally slated to complete after four years. It makes sense.

2030 317

2030 Demo 2025 Hospice 317

Hospice News

AUGUST 2, 2023

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recently finalized hospice payment rule. The proposed version of the 2024 rule contained several requests for information from providers, which included questions on potential health equity measures. The panel released its report in May.

2024 242

2024 Hospice End-of-life care Social work 242

Hospice News

APRIL 18, 2023

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is insufficient to support hospice patients’ care needs, a major industry group said. CMS earlier this month released its 2024 hospice proposed rule , which included the 2.8% Hospice Payment Hike Insufficient appeared first on Hospice News.

Hospice 264

Hospice 2024 Medicare Palliative care 264

Hospice News

JUNE 13, 2024

Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) is drafting a landmark bill that, if enacted, would represent the most significant reforms to date for hospice payment and oversight. Blumenauer announced the bill, the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act, on Thursday at the Hospice News Elevate conference in Washington D.C.

Hospice 306

Hospice End-of-life care Medicare Palliative care 306

Hospice News

FEBRUARY 9, 2024

You have better care outcomes,” Molosky said during the Hospice News 2024 Outlook Webinar. Watch (click here): Hospice News 2024 Outlook Webinar The hospice (and larger health care) workforce has been dwindling even as demand for care rises.

2024 147

2024 Webinar Hospice Medicare 147

Hospice News

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should clarify timeframes associated with a proposed informal dispute resolution process for hospice providers and retool aspects of the agency’s forthcoming Special Focus Program, according to an industry group representing nonprofits. The agency wants to move ahead with it in 2024.

Hospice 279

Hospice 2024 Medicare 2019 279

Hospice News

MAY 8, 2024

A bill currently before Congress would extend through 2026 regulatory flexibilities related to telehealth, including the ability to recertify patients for hospice care. If a hospice is undergoing a period of enhanced oversight by the U.S. It also includes some exceptions. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.)

2026 279

2026 2025 Medicare 2019 279

Hospice News

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

Over time, Medicare Advantage plans will likely have a greater presence as hospice payers, and now is the time for providers to build relationships those organizations. Originally slated to end in 2024, CMS recently extended the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID) to 2023. SCAN is a $4.3

2026 278

2026 Hospice Demo Long-term hospice 278

Hospice News

AUGUST 2, 2024

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a new avenue of funding for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) with implications for palliative care providers. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announced the new payment demonstration in March.

Palliative care 275

Palliative care Palliate 2030 Medicare 275

Hospice News

APRIL 21, 2023

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) is considering a broad spectrum of payment models that could integrate palliative care. Some hospice industry groups for several years have called for a dedicated palliative care benefit within Medicare. Originally, the program was slated to end in 2024. “In

Palliative care 264

Palliative care Palliate Demo Medicare 264