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The past year has seen a slew of regulatory developments aimed at improving quality and combatting fraud in the hospice industry. The first was two July 2019 reports on hospice quality from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in the U.S. Some individuals also hold management positions at several of these hospices simultaneously.
New trends in hospicecare delivery are pointing to a growing need for improved equitable access and diversified services that address a broader range of disease-specific patient needs. Hospice providers have been expanding the depth of their interdisciplinary disease-specific programs to meet that need, Ware said.
Hospice News explores the issues garnering growing attention in end-of-life care delivery in seven of this years hidden gem stories. Topics span trends related to program integrity, workforce development, health equity, service diversification and the keys to hospices growth strategies. Optum completed its $5.4
Carol Miller (R-West Virginia) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) have reintroduced the Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act. If enacted, the bill would allow hospices to conduct face-to-face recertification visits via telehealth. Hospicecare exists to provide comfort and compassion during heartbreaking times.
Hospices coast-to-coast have undergone leadership transitions, including changes in legal executives and a slew of newly appointed CEOs, among other roles in the industry. Texas-based New Day provides home health, hospice, palliative and personal care services across 31 locations in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and in its home state.
Hospice leaders have lost sleep over workforce pressures plaguing the industry for several years running, a trend that is not anticipated to abate anytime soon. Staffing challenges were cited as the leading concern among 35% of 112 hospice professionals who participated in this years Outlook Survey by Hospice News and Homecare Homebase.
These waivers were initially set to expire on the same date in 2024/this year. With the end of 2024 quickly approaching, DEA, jointly with HHS, has extended current telemedicine flexibilities through December 31, 2025.” But it’s more likely at this point that this will continue to get kicked down the road again at the end of 2025.
Hospice News spoke with a group of industry leaders about the most pressing market forces and trends that will shape the space during 2025. Their comments carried some common threads, including rising demand for care in the home, continued labor pressures, industry consolidation and intensifying regulatory scrutiny.
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. million annually.
Calvary Hospitals newly appointed president Michael Fosina is embarking on a deeper journey to improve quality and access to hospicecare amid rising demand. Research and workforce growth will play large roles in the future of palliative and end-of-life care delivery, according to Fosina. We have low use of hospice in New York.
NYSE: EHAB) is projecting strong hospice growth in the next year fueled in part by investments in technology and workforce development. The home health and hospice provider is in part leveraging technology to fuel its plans, Jacobsmeyer said during the Bank of Americas Securities 2024 Home Care Conference. Enhabit Inc.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will end the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID) as of Dec. Often called the “hospice carve-in,” the program was designed to test coverage of hospicecare through Medicare Advantage, in addition to some coverage of palliative care and transitional care.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will allow hospice patients to receive concurrent care through the Medicare Advantage hospice carve-in, and will permit health plans to further restrict utilization of out-of-network providers. But today’s update from CMS contained another critical change from prior years.
The most recent iteration of HospiceCare Accountability, Reform and Enforcement (HospiceCARE) 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.
The Foundation of Community Hospice & Palliative Care is fueling the launch of a new pediatric center in northern Florida that will support serious and terminally ill youths and their families. The building is going to offer a sense of community for our kids care families, Tuttle told Hospice News.
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. This followed its $5.4
Health plan participation in the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID) will fall in 2024. For calendar year 2024, 13 Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) will participate in the program’s hospice component, providing coverage through 78 health plans in 19 states. million in 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.
Hospices have been advocating for lawmakers and regulators to take action on curbing fraud, supporting veterans and bolstering the health care workforce. Battling fraud Reports of unethical or illegal practices have surged, particularly among hundreds of newly certified hospices in California, Texas, Nevada and Arizona.
The Florida-based nonprofit hospice and senior care provider Empath Health has been steadily expanding its footprint as well as its service lines. Empath Health has grown into one of the largest hospice providers in the nation. The post How Empath Health Achieves Growth by Taking on Risk appeared first on Hospice News.
Finding the right balance of support and career development for bereavement care professionals is key to recruitment and retention as hospices combat labor strains. Grief care specialists take on challenging roles as they help families navigate the financial and emotional aspects of a loved one’s loss.
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. Van Duyne told Hospice News in an email.
Greater transparency in staff evaluation processes and increased education will be keys to navigating a range of hospice compliance challenges in a post-pandemic landscape. Additional services include palliative care, a veterans program and care coordination. On Wednesday, the U.S.
Moving into 2024, more hospices see joint ventures or similar partnerships to be a major growth engine. Nearly half of 143 respondents to Hospice News’ 2024 Outlook Survey , conducted with Homecare Homebase, said that joint ventures and partnerships were the growth tactics they planned to pursue the most this year.
Fraud and program integrity concerns dominated the news in 2024, along with large acquisitions, payment rules and regulatory changes. Meanwhile, lawmakers unveiled a bill with some of the most significant reforms proposed to date for hospice payment and oversight. The following are the most-read Hospice News articles of 2024. #1:
New executives have stepped into c-suite and other roles at some of the nations largest hospice organizations as 2025 kicks off. Johnson will oversee the work of Empaths several foundations Suncoast Hospice Foundation, Tidewell Foundation, Hospice of Marion County Foundation and Trustbridge Hospice Foundation.
The hospice merger and acquisition (M&A) space has seen an increasingly diverse and growing mix of investors during the last five years. Demographic tailwinds are pushing a wider range of stakeholders into the hospice and palliative care realms.
Rising demand for end-of-life care is pushing hospice growth opportunities to the forefront in value-based reimbursement. More payers in this arena are increasingly recognizing the depth of potential beneficial outcomes when it comes to collaborative hospice partnerships. National hospice utilization rates reached 49.1%
The forthcoming HospiceCare Accountability, Reform and Enforcement (HospiceCARE) 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.
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. Hospicecare reduces Medicare expenditures by about $3.5
The omnibus spending bill to currently before Congress includes provisions that would extend the waiver for recertification using telehealth through the end of 2024, among other items pertaining to hospice. For many hospices, what began as a temporary measure has evolved as an integral part of clinical operations.
Strong performance on the HospiceCare 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 HospiceCare Index can be a referral driver.
The worst of the staffing challenges is far from over for embattled hospice providers seeking fruitful recruitment and retention strategies in 2024. Burnout has pushed up turnover rates among hospice clinicians for several years running – even before the pandemic. NYSE: CHE). Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
Several hospice and health care organizations have appointed new leaders to take the helm during a time of growing demand nationwide. Fosina was previously the hospitals COO, serving in the role since March 2024. Fosina was previously the hospitals COO, serving in the role since March 2024.
Development of the HospiceCare Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (HospiceCARE) 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.
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.
A group of hospice providers and state associations have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. The plaintiffs include: Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice, Indiana Association for Home & HospiceCare, Association for Home & HospiceCare of North Carolina, South Carolina Home Care & Hospice Association and Houston Hospice.
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). They have asked the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Texas-Houston Division.
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
The 2024 proposed hospice rule from the U.S. We should anticipate increased emphasis on program integrity in the hospice program.” We should anticipate increased emphasis on program integrity in the hospice program.” Other provisions are designed to promote greater transparency around hospice ownership.
A range of new hospice executives have been recently tapped to lead organizations nationwide. AAHPM Announces New President-Elect Dr. Arif Kamal recently became the new president-elect of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM). The hospice provider has inpatient care centers at Holy Cross Hospital, St.
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.
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.
Illinois-based Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care Inc.s journey to open a new inpatient facility came with obstacles, but that has not slowed the hospices growth trajectory, according to CEO Hakeem Bello. The faith-based organization provides hospice, palliative care and bereavement services across three counties in Illinois.
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