Letter: A strategic path forward for hospice and palliative care must focus on equity: A response to Byock
Palliative Medicine Reports; by Karen Bullock, Ramona L. Rhodes, Marisette Hansan, Kimberly S. Johnson; 8/21/25
In a letter to the editor critiquing Ira Byock’s recent white paper, the authors say: “one of the most urgent uncomfortable truths is briefly and incompletely acknowledged in the article. That is, not only do historically marginalized communities face unequal access to the benefits and progress of our field; they endure a disproportionate share of practices that lead to poor quality care, including many of the challenges that Byock highlights.” While applauding the article’s call to action, they caution that:

1. Standards must embed cultural and structural competence.
2. Data must expose disparities and drive accountability.
3. Quality-based competition must not deepen disparities.
4. Rebranding the field must include building trust.

Guest Editor Note, Ira Byock, MD: The authors’ perspectives and insights amplify and expand the approach outlined in the Strategic Path Forward white paper. I am grateful to them for calling on me – and us all – to keep equity as a core value and priority in strategic planning.

Hospice provider’s coast-to-coast expansion receives green light from California AG
McKnight's Home Care; by Adam Healy; 8/26/25
Chapters Health System, a Florida-based hospice and palliative care organization, received conditional approval for its expansion into California via affiliation agreements with Hospice East Bay and Hospice of Santa Cruz County. To finalize the two affiliations, Chapters agreed to: ensure that Hospice East Bay and Hospice of Santa Cruz County maintain certification with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; honor employment agreements with existing staff members; establish quality advisory committees for both East Bay and Hospice of Santa Cruz County; make a reasonable effort to continue providing specialized care services that are currently offered by both newly affiliated providers; and provide annual reports on its compliance with these conditions, according to the California Office of the Attorney General.

Over $37,000 raised at Hospice's Swim a Mile event
North Country Now [St. Lawrence County, NY]; 8/25/25
On Saturday, August 2, Hospice of St. Lawrence Valley held its 15th annual Swim a Mile fundraiser and the community showed up in a big way. More than 40 swimmers jumped in the water to help raise $37,864.98, exceeding the fundraising goal.

Indianapolis hospice patient’s final wish to drive around the track at IMS
WISHTV.com 8 [Indianapolis, IN]; by Kyla Russell; 8/25/25
An Indianapolis hospice patient has one final wish: to take a few laps around the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway inside an IndyCar or NASCAR stock car. His caretakers are trying to turn his dream into a reality. 64-year-old Douglas Smith is living with both prostate and lung cancer. But, he’s determined to make his final days full of memories... These days, Smith is mostly driving his decked out blue scooter outside the cozy Morning Light Home, a free-of-charge residence for individuals on hospice and of limited means... Morning Light is a free home for the terminally ill in Indiana. The team serves everyone, including the unhoused or low-income. It’s the second largest home of its kind in the nation.

How health systems are saving money with centralized pharmacies
Modern Healthcare; by Caroline Hudson; 8/27/25
Health systems are centralizing pharmacy operations to cut costs. Many systems are bringing drug inventory, fulfillment and distribution under one roof. Centralization can help systems navigate a rapidly changing pharmaceutical industry.

Humana borrows UnitedHealth’s Medicare Advantage playbook
Modern Healthcare; by Nona Tepper; 8/25/25
Humana's stock price is up 16.5% so far this year, a notable contrast to the [11.6%] declines the larger Medicare Advantage sector and industry leader UnitedHealth Group report. Humana's secret to success is its transparency into its focused business, experts say.

DOJ probing UnitedHealth’s Optum Rx, alongside Medicare practices
Modern Healthcare; by Chris Strohm, John Tozzi; 8/26/25
The U.S. Justice Department’s criminal division is digging into UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s prescription management services as well as how it reimburses its own doctors under an ongoing probe into the firm’s operations, according to people familiar with the matter. The previously unreported areas of the probe show the scrutiny is broader than was known and goes beyond an inquiry into possible Medicare fraud. Investigators are looking into business practices at the company’s pharmacy benefit manager Optum Rx, in addition to the physician payments, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a confidential matter.

How older people are reaping brain benefits from new tech: New research “flips the script that technology is always bad.”
Katie Couric Media; by Paula Span, KFF Health News; 8/24/25
... Now [Wanda Woods] is an instructor with Senior Planet in Denver, an AARP-supported effort to help older people learn and stay abreast of technology. Woods has no plans to retire. Staying involved with tech “keeps me in the know, too,” she said. Some neuroscientists researching the effects of technology on older adults are inclined to agree. The first cohort of seniors to have contended — not always enthusiastically — with a digital society has reached the age when cognitive impairment becomes more common. Among the digital pioneer generation, use of everyday digital technology has been associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.

When patients arrive with answers
JAMA Network; by Kumara Raja Sundar; 7/24/25
Patients arriving with researched information is not new. They have long brought newspaper clippings, internet search results, or notes from conversations with family. Potential solutions passed along in WhatsApp threads have at times been an integral part of my clinical conversations. Information seeking outside the health care setting has always been part of the landscape of care. But something about this moment feels different. Generative artificial intelligence (AI), with tools like ChatGPT, offers information in ways that feel uniquely conversational and tailored. Their tone invites dialogue. Their confidence implies competence. Increasingly, patients are bringing AI-generated insights into my clinic and are sometimes confident enough to challenge my assessment and plan. I heard these tools were helpful, but I understood their appeal only after using them myself. Recent studies have bolstered this claim: large language models (LLMs) show surprising strength in reasoning and relational tone. After seeing it firsthand, my reaction was simple: “Man, I get why my patients like it.”

Judge approves $2.8B Blues settlement with providers
Healthcare Dive; by Rebecca Pifer; 8/22/25
Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans have agreed to pay $2.8 billion to millions of hospitals, physicians and providers to settle allegations that they colluded for years to lower reimbursement.

Hospice AI - Compare hospice, palliative care, and PACE progams
Hospice & Palliative Care Today team; 8/25/25
Today, we asked ChatGPT "How are hospice and palliative care and PACE programs similar / different? Include infographic." Click here for a 3-page comparison of hospice, palliative care, and PACE programs - including an infographic.

I have good problem-solving skills, but my problem-creating skills are where I really shine.