Hospice Keys

06/04/2026

Ohio's new Medicaid fraud prevention initiatives highlight an important trend for hospice and home healthcare providers nationwide.

CMS has encouraged states to assess whether provider moratoriums and additional enrollment controls may be appropriate for their Medicaid and CHIP programs. Ohio's latest actions suggest the state is responding to that guidance with enhanced oversight and program integrity measures.

As regulators continue focusing on fraud prevention, providers should expect increased attention on enrollment practices, documentation, compliance programs, and operational accountability.

For hospice organizations, the message is clear: strong compliance and operational excellence are becoming increasingly important at both the federal and state levels.

Ohio has launched sweeping Medicaid fraud initiatives targeting home health and hospice providers—including enrollment moratoria, payment suspensions, and GPS mandates.

06/03/2026

“Economies of skill” is an interesting way to frame where healthcare is heading.

As value-based care expands, healthcare organizations are being forced to think differently about staffing, coordination, logistics, and access, especially in hospice and serious illness care.

One thing that shouldn’t get lost in all of this: High tech cannot replace high touch care.

Technology should help clinicians spend more time with patients, not less.

Another important point in this discussion is equitable access to care - not just equal access. Those are very different things in practice.

In time, value-based care will come to hospices, and they must be ready, according to Kent Anderson, CEO of Ohio’s Hospice. In this environment, scale

06/02/2026

Community trust is built through compassion, consistency, and mission-driven care.

For hospice organizations, being trusted by the community means becoming part of something deeper than service delivery. It means becoming a dependable presence for patients, families, referral partners, staff, and volunteers at life’s most vulnerable moments.

When a community believes in your mission and your ability to deliver that mission, your work becomes irreplaceable.

06/01/2026

Texas hospice providers - take notice.

CMS is increasing oversight and program integrity efforts across Texas hospices.

Now is the time for providers to proactively evaluate compliance, documentation, billing accuracy, and operational readiness.

Take proactive actions including:
- Review eligibility documentation
- Review accuracy of clinical documentation
- Conduct billing and claims review
- Conduct internal compliance audits
- Conduct staff education and training
- Ensure audit preparedness

Strong systems and proactive compliance strategies can help reduce risk and improve operational stability during periods of increased scrutiny.

California has seen hundreds of hospice “takedowns” and Medicare payment suspensions targeting what the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proclaims are a multitude of fraudulent hospices, particularly in LA County. Now, based on recent public statements of CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD,...

05/28/2026

The United States House Committee on Ways & Means announced advancement of anti-fraud legislation targeting mismanagement in programs such as Medicare, TANF, and unemployment insurance.

Strong healthcare systems depend on accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public resources. Efforts to strengthen program integrity help protect vulnerable populations while supporting trust in essential healthcare and social support systems.

As conversations around healthcare reform, compliance, and care delivery continue evolving, maintaining the integrity of programs serving patients and families remains critically important.

New anti-fraud guardrails prevent theft of taxpayer-funded benefits in Medicare, TANF, and unemployment insurance. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ways and Means Republicans...

05/27/2026

The hospice industry has been working hard to increase the reach and education of hospice-eligible beneficiaries and families.

Hospice access is not only about availability. It is also about education, trust, language, culture, and whether different communities feel seen and understood.

This article highlighted a new challenge: negative sentiment around DEI may affect hospice enrollment, education, and broad access across different groups in society.

Every eligible patient and family deserves clear, compassionate information about the hospice benefit. No family should be left without the support they need simply because the message did not reach them in the right way.

Hospices’ diversity and inclusion efforts have hit several barriers in recent years. Policy reform and more person-centered care integration represent two

05/26/2026

Some patient cases never leave clinicians ... the grief, the memories, and the emotional weight are carried long after the shift ends.

05/25/2026

Sometimes clinicians forget how overwhelming healthcare decisions can feel for families and patients, especially during serious illness.

A recent study found that patients and caregivers benefited from a decision tool that explained treatment choices clearly and helped them feel more confident in their decisions.

That reminder matters in every area of healthcare: people need honest information, support, and time to choose what is right for them.

Informed choices lead to better care experiences and improved quality of life.

Duke-NUS researchers find that pairing a web-based decision-aid with counselling helps elderly patients with end-stage kidney disease and their caregivers make better informed treatment choices – and significantly shifts decisions towards care that prioritises comfort and quality of life.

05/23/2026

With growing recognition that people need more than symptom treatment, health plans are increasingly partnering with palliative care providers.

People need symptom relief, care coordination, family support, and guidance earlier in the illness journey.

This whole-person approach can improve quality of life and create a better healthcare experience for patients and families.

In recent months, several major health plans have disclosed deals with palliative care providers. The move mirrors a growing awareness of and appreciation for palliative care – which provides symptom relief, can be used alongside curative care and often takes place in the home — according to exp...

05/22/2026

Grief support is an important part of quality hospice care.

#