U.S. House Committee on Ways & Means - Full committee hearing on protecting patients and taxpayers: cracking down on Medicare fraud 
United State House Committee on Ways & Means, Chairman Jason Smith; content below is from the US House Committee Ways & Means website, with descriptions (below) by Judi Lund Person; 4/21/26 
The House Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by Jason Smith (MO-08), held a hearing today [4/21] examining the prevalence of fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare and efforts to combat fraud to protect patients and taxpayers. Readers have the opportunity to watch the full committee hearing on YouTube. Links are provided below.

Full Committee Hearing: April 21, 2026, 10:00AM ET

• YouTube video of the hearing: starts at the minute marker for 14 min 43 sec
• Advisory Notice

Each panelist provided written testimony, which can be downloaded below.

• Dr. Lynn Ianni, PhD - Medicare beneficiary and Medicare fraud victim; download testimony
• Dr. Ianni reported on her experience having her Medicare number stolen and enrolled in hospice without her knowledge. She received help in resolving the issue from the Senior Medicare Patrol in California.
• Ms. Sheila Clark - President and CEO, California Hospice and Palliative Care Association; download testimony
• In her testimony, Sheila stated that “hospice and home health fraud are not merely billing problems. They are beneficiary protection failures.” She went on to say that “home health and hospice fraud is not just a California problem, but rather a Medicare program integrity problem and a state-federal oversight problem.” 
• Mr. David Klebonis - Chief Operating Officer, Palm Beach ACO; download testimony
• Mr. Klebonis shared the experience of Medicare fraud and systemic schemes experienced in the ACO where he is the COO, including billing patterns, products that are clinically unnecessary, and the work of his ACO to identify and report suspected fraud.
• Mr. Christopher Deery - Director of Corporate and Financial Investigation, Independence Blue Cross; download testimony
• Mr. Deery is at a Blue Cross plan serving the Philadelphia area.  He described the work of his corporate and financial investigation unit using machine learning and data analytics to monitor claims and payment dashboards on a daily basis, and includes validation of billed services and confirming clinical appropriateness. 
• Ms. Kristi Martin - Principal, Highway 136 Consulting; download testimony
• Kristi worked at CMS for several years, particularly focused on making prescription drug prices more affordable. In her testimony, she focused on incentives in Part D that caused total Part D spending to increase at an annual growth rate of 5.5% between 2007 and 2018. She shared her concern about lowering prescription drug costs and encouraged the committee to consider an expansion of policies that benefit Medicare beneficiaries.
• The panelist presentations and questions from members of the Committee can be found on the YouTube video [start at the minute marker for14:43] and is worth viewing.

Hospice & Palliative Care Today thanks Judi Lund Person, Guest Editor, for her timely expertise in summarizing this complex information for your knowledge and use. Tomorrow, our newsletter issue will equip you with more detailed information that Judi has been compiling about these ongoing fraud cases.

Hospice Fraud Briefing: one page summary
Lund Person & Associates Hospice Consulting; by Judi Lund Person; 4/16/26 
Download this one-page, detailed summary of Top Cases, Total Losses, and Dominant Schemes from April 2025-2026.

• $530M+ Total Fraud Alleged ...
• 20 Cases Tracked ...
• 66+ Defendants Named ...
• 4 States Targeted ...
• 7 Already Sentenced ...
• 221+ Providers Suspended ...

Editor's Note: In case you missed our 4/22 post with hearing files and Judi's summary, examine "U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means - Full committee hearing on protecting patients and taxpayers: cracking down on Medicare fraud." Stay tuned for ongoing updates from our Guest Editor, Judi Lund Person.

Hospices to face increased scrutiny under new scoring system 
Harris Beach Murtha Attorneys at Law; by Glenn M. Jones and Roy W. Breitenbach; 4/15/26 
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans a new hospice scoring system in fiscal year 2027 . ... CMS announced the service and spending variation index (SSVI) is part of its ongoing efforts to combat fraud and strengthen program integrity. CMS said the system will increase transparency for families, ensure proper care, protect beneficiaries and support providers delivering quality end-of-life care. Details of the proposed rule can be found on the Federal Register. The agency has also published a fact sheet on the proposed rule. The SSVI score will be based on a variety of metrics CMS gathers from hospice claims, including:

• Non-hospice spending
• Percent of beneficiaries discharged with a length of stay of 180 days or more
• Average minutes per routine home care day
• Percent of live discharges where beneficiaries return to the same hospice in seven days

Google.org and Johnson & Johnson Foundation launch $10 million AI training program for rural U.S. healthcare workers 
Complete AI Training; Press Release; 4/14/26 
Google.org and the Johnson & Johnson Foundation are launching a $10 million program to train rural U.S. healthcare workers to use AI tools for administrative tasks. The initiative targets operational efficiency in clinics facing chronic staffing shortages and administrative overload. ... According to the National Rural Health Association, over 130 rural hospitals have shut down since 2010, with administrative burden cited as a major factor. The new program addresses this directly by teaching healthcare workers to use AI for scheduling, patient documentation, and clinic operations. 

Build a real workplace violence committee. Not just a checkbox. Download 9 ready-to-use templates to launch your program.
pomsafe - Compliance Resource; by pomsafe; 4/15/26 
Built for the filed, not the facility. Most WPV resources are designed for hospitals, buildings, and fixed locations. This kit was built from the ground up for organizations whose staff work in homes, communities, and the field, where the risk environment looks completely different. Built for teams in home health and hospice; ... any organization sending caregivers into patient homes or the community.

National Alliance for Care at Home | Strategic Plan (2026-2029)
National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release / email; 4/20/26 
The National Alliance for Care at Home has finalized its Strategic Plan for 2026–2029. This plan is the result of deep reflection on the challenges facing care at home providers today, the opportunities we believe are ahead, and the role the Alliance must play to help you navigate both. It is organized around four commitments:

• Advocate ...
• Connect ...
• Strengthen ...
• Grow ...

Leonardtown Run For Hospice raises $125k in 29th annual event 
My Town, Leonardtown, MD; by Nicholaus Wiberg; 4/16/26 
Runners, walkers and pets gathered Saturday morning in Leonardtown (4/11) for the 29th annual Run and Fun Walk for Hospice of St. Mary’s, continuing a long-standing community tradition supporting hospice and bereavement services for local families. The event featured a 10K and 5K runs and a fun walk, beginning at the St. Mary’s County Governmental Center and winding through historic Leonardtown and surrounding rural roads. ... More than 1,100 participants from across the region registered for the St. Mary’s County event; ... the main event raised more than $125,000 ...

How a pickleball injury highlights fraud in California's hospice industry 
ArcaMax; by Richard Winton; 4/21/26 
Lynn Ianni didn't learn she was apparently dying in a Los Angeles County hospice care facility until her Medicare claim for a pickleball injury was rejected. "At first we laughed because it was an obvious clerical error," the Seattle-based psychotherapist recalled before a congressional committee Tuesday, where she was providing testimony about her months-long experience in 2024 with fraud in the hospice industry. "It wasn't just frustrating, it was terrifying." Ianni appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee on Capitol Hill at a hearing that revealed details about fake claims and stolen doctors' identities. She was a victim of California hospice scammers. 
Editor's Note: Download Lynn Ianni's testimonry to the House Ways and Means Committee, 4/21/26.

Hosparus Health names Becky Tooker as President 
Hosparus Health, Louisville, KY; Press Release; 4/20/2026 
Hosparus Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of hospice and serious illness care, has named Becky Tooker as President, effective April 6. Tooker brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in hospice, home health and post-acute care and a strong commitment to patient-centered care. Most recently Tooker served in a senior leadership role with St. Croix Hospice, where she oversees statewide operations including clinical quality, regulatory compliance and performance improvement. ... David W. Cook, CEO of Hosparus Health, said he looks forward to partnering with Tooker as the organization continues expanding services for patients and families across Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

End-of-life nurse's top things terminal patients wish they knew earlier: pearls of wisdom from people in their final days have been revealed 
Wales Online; by Samantha Leathers; 4/17/26 
End-of-life care specialists at Marie Curie have revealed the most precious wisdom shared by dying patients in their final months, weeks and days, urging others to focus on what genuinely matters. Living in the moment, letting go of grudges and embracing life without fear were among their top recommendations. Multiple nurses and care assistants also revealed that among the most common regrets voiced was missing family gatherings due to work obligations. This ranks alongside worrying excessively about money, with numerous patients advising their loved ones to invest in memorable moments instead of saving for potential emergencies.

I understand the need to be a responsible adult... But every day? Every single day? ~Unknown