[France] French MPs approve assisted dying law with strict rules after years of argument 
BBC; by Paul Kirby; 7/15/26 
France's National Assembly has voted to create a right to assisted dying under strict conditions, after years of debate and changes to the proposals. MPs voted by 291 to 241 to back the bill, which had been rejected three times by the upper house of parliament, the Senate. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to refer parts of the bill to France's Constitutional Council for examination before it can become law. It would allow assisted dying for French adults with a "serious and incurable" life-threatening illness "in an advanced or terminal stage". The illness would need to leave them in constant physical or psychological suffering that is unbearable or resistant to treatment. [Read more terms] ... Wednesday's vote means France could join several other European countries that have decriminalised assisted dying in some form. A similarly lengthy debate has been taking place in the UK. A bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales stalled earlier this year and is set to return to Parliament in September.

“It wasn’t just a lyric — it was him” 
Their Life Song; personal story by Amber Gould, original music about her father by Johnny Warren; 7/15/26
Grief doesn’t follow a timeline. Amber Gould knows this well. “There are little everyday moments that remind me of him,” she says. “Whether it’s a familiar place, a scent, or a memory that suddenly comes back, he’s still a part of my daily life. I couldn’t think of a better way to honor those memories and feel connected to him than through music.” That's where Johnny Warren and Their Life Song come in. After Amber responded to Johnny's "remembering" questions about her dad, Johnny--owner of Their Life Song--wrote a deeply personal song about him. Upon turning her memories into song, what Amber found wasn’t closure — it was connection. 
Editor's Note: Click here for Johnny's tender song about Amber's dad, "The River You Showed Me."

At the river you showed me
How to slow down and breathe
How the trees and the water
Could bring a heart some peace
You were strong, you were laughter
You were the hand that held us near
And the love you gave your girls
Stilll carries us from here.

VITAS medical director: improve hospice referrals for cancer patients 
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/16/26 
Hospice utilization among some cancer patients is leveling off and slowing growth, but healthcare providers and medical educators can adopt certain strategies to move the needle. This is according to Dr. Ileana Leyva, regional medical director for VITAS Healthcare. ... Neuro-degenerative, lung and cardiac diseases are gaining more prominence among hospice diagnoses. In 2024, senile degeneration of the brain was the most common terminal diagnosis among Medicare decedents at 9%, followed by Alzheimer’s at 6%, according to the National Alliance for Care at Home. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rounded out the top three at 4.2%. Lung cancer was the 11th most common diagnosis that year, at 2.1%, the highest rate for any form of cancer. Hospice News spoke with Leyva about the barriers that prevent cancer patients from accessing hospice sooner and what stakeholders can do to drive improvement.

Correction: Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont announces Dr. Nancy Hart Wicker as chief executive officer and chief medical officer 
Index Journal; by Staff Writer; 7/2/26
Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont [Greenwood, SC] has appointed Nancy Hart Wicker, MD, FAAHPM, as chief executive officer and chief medical officer, effective immediately. Hospice & Palliative Care of the Piedmont is the only locally governed, nonprofit hospice in the region with a CMS five-star rating, indicating the highest quality of care. The organization brings 45 years of service, clinical expertise, and community-based decision-making from its clinical staff, leadership, and volunteer board of directors.
Editor's Note: We initially published this on 7/12/26 with the location as Charlottesville, VA. Please note the correct location is "Greenwood, SC," with our apology for this confusion and our commitments to accuracy.

WTWH Media rebrands as Arrowfly, unifying 40+ brands under a new identity built for the future of B2B
Hospice News press release; 7/13/26
WTWH Media ("WTWH"), an award-winning B2B media and marketing company, today announced it has rebranded as Arrowfly. The new name and identity reflect the company's transformation from a specialized trade publisher into an omnichannel B2B media, events, and marketing company where hard-to-reach professional decision-makers gather for trusted journalism, industry intelligence, and high-impact experiences that move their markets forward.
Publisher's note: Kelly Tkac of Hospice News, Palliative Care News, Home Health Care News, etc., shared this exciting update with us at the Alliance's Finance and Technology Conference this week in Boston.

The Duke Endowment grant award supports first coordinated palliative care program in Robeson County 
The Robesonian, Lumberton, NC; by Amanda Crabtree; 7/15/26 
UNC Health Southeastern was awarded $575,000 from The Duke Endowment to establish Robeson County’s first coordinated hospital-to-community palliative care program in partnership with Lower Cape Fear LifeCare. The investment represents a significant step forward in expanding access to compassionate, patient-centered care for an estimated 400 patients with serious illness while strengthening the healthcare continuum across Robeson County. By creating a seamless connection between hospital care and community-based services, the initiative will ensure that patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the setting that best meets their needs.

Nurse practitioner: my patient qualified for hospice. I couldn’t get her there 
The Examiner News, Mount Kisco, NY; "Opinion" by Diane Pagan; 7/15/26 
... I’ve been Marie’s primary care nurse practitioner for seventeen months. She was referred to me at the time by her PCP because she could no longer physically manage going into the office. She suffered from dementia and her gait was worsening ... Marie’s daughter chose a hospice agency close to her home. The agency reviewed my referral and notes and accepted Marie into their program. The next step was to send them a Certificate of Terminal Illness (CTI) stating that Marie had a terminal illness with an anticipated life expectancy of 6 months or less. Then the obstacle arose. I couldn’t sign the form. ... The inability of nurse practitioners to sign a CTI does not stem from their lack of education or clinical expertise in determining when a patient is nearing end of life. The restriction is rooted in federal Medicare law, written more than 40 years ago, when the role of nurse practitioners was very different than it is today.

Crushing and flexing: CMS proposes to expand its discretion to deny and revoke Medicare enrollment 
The National Law Review; by Karen S. Lovitch, Jane Haviland, Mintz; 7/14/26 
... Currently, CMS’s revocation authority allows it to revoke enrollment prospectively following notice to the Provider. Following revocation, the Provider is no longer allowed to bill Medicare. CMS’s proposal would not only make the revocation date retroactive to the date of alleged noncompliance (or other triggering event) but would also allow CMS to claw back payments to the retroactive revocation date. CMS estimates approximately $82 million in annual savings from this proposal, clearly indicating that CMS views it as a high-impact program integrity measure. CMS’s proposal is also notable because, if finalized, it would give CMS greater flexibility to address suspected fraud without considering criteria that might otherwise constrain its actions. For example: ...

Reporting Face-to-Face encounter conducted by a hospice physician or hospice nurse  practitioner for recertification via telecommunications technology on hospice claims, effective January 1, 2027 
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services |CMS; CMS Manual System, Change Request 14495; 7/10/26 
Effective January 1,2027, face-to-face encounters using telecommunications must be reported using a modifier or G code on the hospice claim. Guidance was released on July 10, 2026 and can be found in CR 14495 and MM14495. 

5 top execs to depart Enhabit in wake of Kinderhook Acquisition 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/16/26 
Five of Enhabit Inc.’s six top executive leaders are departing two months after the company’s acquisition by Kinderhook Industries. Newly appointed CEO Dale Clift will remain. Enhabit confirmed to Hospice News’ sister publication Home Health Care News that five leaders are set to depart in the coming weeks. The leaders include CFO Ryan Solomon, Executive Vice President of Home Health Julie Jolley, Executive Vice President of Hospice Jeanna Kalvaitis, Chief Human Resources Officer Tanya Marion and General Counsel and Secretary Dylan Black.

Meet the pair traveling Route 66 to encourage blood donation amid shortage 
The Oklahoman; by Carla Hinton; 7/14/26 
As part of their 'Miles For Kindness' movement, two women are traveling Route 66 to encourage people to donate blood. Two women whose lives have been affected by blood donation are traveling miles from home in a colorful decommissioned ambulance to raise awareness about the nation's blood supply shortage. Marie Forrestal and Lori Talbot left their homes in Cranford, New Jersey, about a week ago to travel Route 66 to share their "Miles of Kindness" message. The pair stopped in Oklahoma City on Monday to host a blood drive at the Drybar salon at Classen Curve, in partnership with Our Blood Institute. The two sat in lawn chairs near their ambulance while visiting with customers and others who dropped by. 

An empty beach is the perfect place to both fill and empty the mind! ~ Mehmet Murat Ildan