BREAKING NEWS: Nationwide temporary moratorium on enrollment of hospices extended and modified
Federal Register, an unpublished Notice by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and summary notes by guest Judi Lund Person; retrieved 11/12/26, to be published 11/16/26 
Moratorium applies: A temporary moratorium will remain in effect for another six month period, effective November 16, 2026. CMS announced in a Federal Register notice posted for public inspection on November 12, 2026. This moratorium will continue to apply to initially  enrolling hospices.
Does not apply to addition of hospice practice locations by currently enrolled hospices: The moratorium for practice locations by currently enrolled hospices will end as of the effective date of this notice (11/16/26). CMS confirmed this modification is for hospices that are merely seeking to add a new location to its current enrollment.

Beacon Home Health and Hospice announces expansion across West Tennessee 
WBBJ-7, Jackson, TN; by WBBJ Staff; 11/12/26 
Beacon Home Health and Hospice announced Wednesday that it is expanding its services across 19 West Tennessee counties. The expansion includes Madison, Gibson, Carroll, Henderson, Chester, Dyer and Weakley counties, as well as other surrounding rural communities. Beacon provides rehabilitation, chronic condition management and hospice care to more than 35,000 adults ages 65 and older.

Tri-Cities Chaplaincy is now Tri-Cities Community Hospice 
Press release and Tri-Cities Community Hospice website; 11/12/26 
Tri-Cities Chaplaincy is now Tri-Cities Community Hospice. Same team, same building, same phone number. The new name says what we actually do, so families can find us when they need us.
Same roots, new leaves. 
For more than 50 years, people knew us as Tri-Cities Chaplaincy. But the old name did not say what we do. So in 2026 we became Tri-Cities Community Hospice. Our mission and vision did not change. Neither did the people who answer the phone, day or night. Our tagline stays with us too: Live Your Best Life.

Hospice of Murray County’s data breach investigation 
Class Action U; Press Release; updated 11/12/26 
Hospice of Murray County, a non-profit hospice provider in Slayton, Minnesota, reported a data security incident on its server that occurred on August 24, 2026. It notified 800 people on October 13, 2026 and reported the incident to federal regulators. ... This page explains what the organization has said, what remains unclear and what patients and families can do now. The details below come from the organization’s own notice and the federal health breach portal, and they may change as the review continues. ...

Orange City Area Health cuts ribbon on new home health & hospice 
KIWA, Orange City, IA; by Sam Heyn; 11/12/26 
Orange City Area Home Health & Hospice has officially transitioned into a new, accessible office location at the Highway 10 Plaza just west of Casey’s in Orange City, marking a new chapter for the agency as it celebrates two decades of hospice care in the community. ... Orange City Area Health System CEO Chris Sietstra explained how the upgrade directly impacts both daily operations and patient care.

• Dedicated Space for Support and Operations ...
• Decades of Experience and Record Demand ...

Alive introduces revitalized brand look and expanded complex care offerings to help Middle Tennesseans live fully every day 
PR Newswire, Nashville, TN; by Alive; 11/12/26 
Alive, one of the nation's oldest and most experienced end-of-life care providers, today announced a revitalized brand look and feel designed to reflect the ongoing expansion of its clinical services, including the launch of Alive Complex Care – a service delivering specialized geriatric and palliative care directly into the homes of individuals navigating serious or advanced illnesses. Grounded in the creative concept "Time to Live," the refreshed identity reflects Alive's broader continuum of care and supports its mission to transform how communities experience serious illness, death and grief by honoring the harmony between living fully and embracing life's final chapters.

When the enrollment freeze ends, claim review takes over — small providers need clear rules 
MedCity News; by Jamie Davis; 11/12/26 
For six months, Medicare’s main answer to home health and hospice fraud has been a closed door. On May 13, CMS stopped enrolling new hospices and home health agencies nationwide, along with new branch locations and certain ownership changes. A moratorium lasts six months unless CMS extends it, so the scheduled end is November 13. CMS says the freeze is working. A senior official said this fall that about 250 home health agencies and 50 hospices were denied enrollment in the first five months. I believe it. But a closed door is a blunt tool, and it was never built to stay shut. What replaces it? Everything I’m seeing points to more claim review for the agencies already inside.

Davion Healthcare agrees to acquire Healthcare Stat Homecare for $13.5M 
Home Health News; by Guest Contributor; 11/11/26 
Davion Healthcare has agreed to acquire Healthcare Stat Homecare Inc. in a transaction valued at $13.5 million. The deal consideration includes $8 million in cash and $5.5 million in Davion shares, issued at an agreed value of $13 per share. The transaction is expected to close by Dec. 31, 2026, subject to the terms of the acquisition agreement. Philadelphia-based Healthcare Stat Homecare is a Pennsylvania-incorporated provider of home health care services. The acquisition represents an expansion for Cork, Ireland-based Davion, a digital healthcare company that develops non-invasive remote health monitoring technologies designed to identify potential medical anomalies.

Hospice an M&A Priority for Aveanna 
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 11/12/26 
Hospice and home health acquisitions are becoming a greater capital allocation priority for Aveanna Healthcare (Nasdaq: AVAH) as it integrates Family First Home Care and looks to reduce leverage while expanding its footprint. A key component of Aveanna’s growth strategy is its acquisition program, with the company pointing to its June acquisition of Family First Home Care as an example of how it intends to expand its business while improving its balance sheet.

These 15 North Carolina nursing homes are under the spotlight in the brand new 2027 U.S. news ratings 
Decor Hint; by Kara Whitman; 11/12/26 
Seventeen quality measures go into each side of these new nursing home ratings, which immediately told me this was more than a simple score. U.S. News released its 2027 results on November 10, giving families a fresh way to compare care across North Carolina. The ratings look at two very different situations. Short-term rehabilitation focuses on helping someone recover enough to return home. Long-term care looks at the experience of people who may live there much longer. I appreciate that distinction because choosing care for someone you love rarely feels simple. 
Editor's Note: Though this is devoted to North Carolina, read its descriptions for themes that can apply to your geographical areas. 

Influential women: Alice Cagampang, guiding families through grief and preparing social workers for end-of-life care 
US Daily Ledger | EIN Presswire, Seattle, WA; Press Release; 11/12/26 
Alice Cagampang is an Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Washington School of Social Work, where she has dedicated her career to educating and mentoring the next generation of social workers. She also serves as Director of the Carol LaMare Scholars Traineeship Program, guiding Master of Social Work students with interests in end-of-life care, life-limiting illness, palliative care, and hospice social work. [Learn more]

Friday the 13th: Proof that life isn't about finding safety; it's about embracing the chaos.
Editor's Note: I chose this quote before yesterday's Microsoft Outlook outage. While I still embrace this wise quote, I hope Outlook is repaired in time for you to receive this, Friday morning, November 13th, 6am ET. (Freely let me know! I'd love to hear from you, Joy Berger)