UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in New York City, reports say 
USA Today; by Christopher Cann; 12/4/24, updated 11:11 am ET 
The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest insurance providers in the nation, was fatally shot Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan, where the company was hosting an investors conference, multiple news outlets reported, citing police sources. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot just before 7 a.m. near the hotel on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, the New York Post, New York Times and WPIX reported. UnitedHealth did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY. A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department who declined to be identified by name told USA TODAY a 50-year-old man was fatally shot outside the hotel, but did provide the victim's name, saying the department was waiting to notify the family. 
Editor's note: Additional links are below. We will continue to follow this tragic story.
Publisher's note: UnitedHealthcare is the health insurance unit of parent company UnitedHealth Group.

• NBC News Live Updates, 12/4/24, 6:10 pm EST: UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting live updates: Police search for suspect in Brian Thompson's death
• Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/unitedhealthcare-ceo-fatally-shot-ny-post-reports-2024-12-04/
• International Business Times: Here's Who Was Buying Up Millions in UnitedHealthcare Stock Before CEO Brian Thompson Was Killed | IBTimes

[CAPC] 2024 Serious Illness Scorecard
Center to Advance Palliative Care press release; 12/4/24
America’s readiness to meet the needs of people with serious illness. A state-by-state look at palliative care capacity. How does your state rate? How can I improve my state’s rating? Download the full report.

Top News Stories of the Month Nov 2024 - TCN Podcast 
Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Mark Cohen; 12/4/24 
What if the future of Hospice and Palliative Care depends on understanding the intricacies of industry integration and regulation?  Join us for an insightful journey through November's most compelling stories that have captured the attention of Hospice and Palliative Care Today's readership. Our conversation reveals the significant impact of national events, from elections to regulatory changes, on shaping news cycles and industry priorities.  Also, rising workforce demands and political changes, such as immigration restrictions, paint a concerning picture for the future labor pool in Hospice Care. We provide a comprehensive analysis of the month's key themes that may have been missed, like tackling issues from CMS payment cuts to the Justice Department's stance on UnitedHealthcare Group's acquisition of Amedisys. This episode is a must-listen for those seeking a deeper understanding of the critical yet often overlooked issues in Hospice and Palliative Care today, and Mark delivers another excellent masterclass on creating compelling headlines. 

11 top health system C-suite priorities for better patient care in 2025 
Becker's Hospital Review; by Laura Dyrda; 12/2/24 
... Becker's collected insights from 94 health system executives highlight a collective commitment to transforming care delivery through innovation, accessibility, and patient-centered strategies. These leaders, representing a diverse range of hospitals and health systems across the country, are focusing on priorities such as leveraging advanced technology, strengthening workforce resilience, enhancing health equity, and reimagining care models to meet the needs of their communities. ... Below, we summarize the top 11 priorities identified by these executives to improve patient care in the years ahead.

1. Enhancing access to care ...
2. Leveraging technology and AI ...
3. Focusing on patient-centered care ...
4. Building a resilient healthcare workforce ...
5. Strengthening high reliability ...
6. Addressing health equity ...
7. Improving patient experience ...
8. Innovating care delivery models ...
9. Harnessing data and analytics ...
10. Expanding value-based care ...
11. Building a culture of transparency ...

TCMH Hospice of Care auction breaks another all-time record, raising over $38,000 
Texas County Memorial Hospital - Hospice of Care Program, Houston, MO; TCMH; 12/3/24 
The TCMH Healthcare Foundation is proud to announce that the 2024 Hospice of Care Online Auction has broken yet another all-time record, raising an impressive $38,053.21 in monetary and donated items. The funds will directly benefit the TCMH Hospice of Care program, which provides compassionate end-of-life care to patients and their families in the Texas County area. “We are beyond thrilled with the outcome of this year’s auction,” said Jeff Gettys, President of the TCMH Healthcare Foundation. “The incredible generosity of our donors and bidders demonstrates how much this community cares about supporting local hospice services. Every dollar raised will make a meaningful difference in providing comfort and dignity to patients and their loved ones.”

Residential Hospice brings hospice care to eastern Kansas and western Missouri 
PR Newswire, Kansas City, MO; by Residential Home Health and Hospice; 12/4/24 
Tutera Senior Living & Health Care (Tutera) and Residential Home Health and Hospice (Residential) have expanded their partnership and service offering, Residential Hospice is now acting as the preferred provider of hospice services. Tutera and Residential have been in a partnership since May 2022 with Residential providing home health care in their Kansas City market. "The focus of our partnership with Residential is to support patients at every stage of care in the communities we serve," said Randy Bloom, President/COO Tutera Health Care Division. "By expanding the partnership with Residential, we increase access to care and are better able to meet the healthcare needs of our community."

Marin County Office of Education, Novato Unified School District & By the Bay Health partner to address healthcare talent shortage 
PR Newswire, San Rafael, CA and Novato, CA and Larkspur, CA; by By The Bay Health; 12/3/24
The Marin County Office of Education (MCOE), the Novato Unified School District (NUSD), and By the Bay Health, Northern California's largest independent nonprofit hospice provider, are joining forces to launch a strategic workforce initiative to address the growing healthcare talent shortage in the County. Starting in Spring 2025, MCOE, NUSD, and By the Bay Health will pilot a new Career Technical Education (CTE) course at San Marin High School in Novato to introduce students to healthcare careers. The CTE course, Introduction to the World of Healthcare, will be the first high school course of its kind in the County designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to career opportunities in the healthcare field, including a focus on careers in community-based care in the home. An elective for 11th and 12th grade students, the curriculum will cover a range of topics from healthcare professions to medical ethics, communication, public health, and emerging trends in healthcare.

Bloom Healthcare CEO: Integrating palliative care into every decision 
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/3/24 
The house call provider Bloom Healthcare has leveraged its integrated palliative-primary care model to achieve substantial reductions in hospitalizations and health care costs. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently recognized Bloom as a top performing High-Needs Accountable Care Organization under the agency’s Realizing Equity, Access and Community Health (ACO REACH) model. Through its ACO REACH program, Bloom reduced unplanned hospital readmissions by 25% and realized a gross cost savings rate of 24.6%. The company’s patients averaged 326.7 days at home during  2023. Bloom Healthcare cares for about 10,000 high-needs patients with a comprehensive primary care and care management model that incorporates palliative care. The company currently operates in Colorado and Texas. ... Palliative Care News sat down with Bloom CEO Dr. Thomas Lally to discuss the strategies the company used to garner these results and how palliative care factored in. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

CGS Administrators, LLC, did not reopen and recalculate most selected hospices’ caps for years prior to 2020 
USA HHS Ofice of Inspector General (OIG), Washington, DC; issued 11/27/24, posted 12/4/24
Why OIG Did This Audit: ... Our audit determined whether CGS accurately calculated cap amounts and collected cap overpayments in accordance with CMS requirements. This audit is part of a series that reviewed MAC calculations and collections of hospice aggregate and inpatient cap overpayments.
What OID Recommends: [... that CGS] 

• discontinue its practices that limited the reopening of prior years’ cap calculations and start reopening all prior years’ cap calculations,
• revise policies and procedures so that it meets the reopening deadlines established in the Federal requirements, and
• conduct the prior years’ hospice cap calculations for the five hospices with UPIC recoupments and collect any additional overpayments.

CGS concurred with our second and third recommendations and partially concurred with our first recommendation.

• Click here for HHS OIG's Full Report
• Click here for HHS OIG's Report Highlights

Delaware Court of Chancery awards damages and other relief to Encompass Health and Enhabit for misconduct by April Anthony, other former officers, and private equity firms Vistria Group and Nautic Partners 
Associated Press (AP) - Business Wire, Birmingham, AL and Dallas, TX; 12/4/24 
On Monday, Encompass Health and Enhabit won their lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery related to breaches of fiduciary duty by April Anthony, Luke James, and Chris Walker while they served as the senior officers at Encompass Health’s former home health and hospice division, which is now Enhabit. The Court awarded judgment against private equity firms Vistria Group and Nautic Partners and the home health and hospice business now known as VitalCaring Group for aiding and abetting “the egregious breaches of the duty of loyalty” by Anthony, James, and Walker. The case was the subject of a 7-day trial in December 2023. After considering “the damning record presented at trial,” the Court found that, while employed by Encompass Health, Anthony, James, and Walker usurped acquisition opportunities falling within Encompass Health’s line of business, used Encompass Health’s confidential information, and swayed key Encompass Health employees to join them with the promise of equity in the home health and hospice competitor that Anthony now heads. 

Creach Family Holdings announces acquisition of HealthRev Partners 
EIN Presswire, Stuart, FL; by Careficient, Inc.; 12/3/24 
Creach Family Holdings announces acquisition of HealthRev Partners Expanding Healthcare Technology Solutions for Home Health and Hospice Providers. Creach Family Holdings, a privately held investment firm focused on healthcare technology and tech-enabled services, announces the acquisition of HealthRev Partners, a provider of technology-driven revenue cycle management (RCM) solutions serving the home health and hospice market. This acquisition complements Creach Family Holdings’ portfolio, including Careficient, a leading electronic medical record (EMR) provider for home health and hospice agencies. 

What healthcare CFOs don’t know about cybersecurity — and what they should ask their CISOs 
Healthcare Finance Technology (HFMA); by Plante Moran; 12/2/24
Cybersecurity is a growing concern for all healthcare organizations amid the ongoing rise of ransomware attacks and other threats. In 2023, the number of reported data breaches in the U.S. rose to an all-time high of 3,205, a 78% increase from 2022, while the average cost of a healthcare data breach hit $10.93 million. What’s driving these alarming figures isn’t necessarily a lack of technology or talent. ... By rethinking their approach to collaboration and risk management, healthcare CFOs can more effectively align security with both technology and the business to help their organizations become more resilient. ... How ready is our organization for an attack? ... 

1. Are we putting too many eggs in one basket? ...
2. Are there any trends we should keep an eye on? ... 
3. Are we doing our due diligence? ... 
4. How can we support you and your team? ...

2025 BrightSpring brighter futures and hospice nursing scholarships now open 
BrightSpring Health Services - Careers; 12/3/24 
Applications are being accepted from now through Friday, February 28, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET. For more information and to apply, visit https://cflouisville.awardspring.com/Home/Scholarships.  ... The BrightSpring Brighter Futures Scholarship awards one $10,000 per year scholarship, renewable for up to four years as long as the student maintains good academic standing with their college or university. ... The BrightSpring Hospice Nursing Scholarship awards four $5,000 per year scholarships, renewable for up to two years as long as the student maintains good academic standing with their college or university.
Editor's note: How might your hospice organization partner with universities/colleges to provide a similar program for professional career growth?

Key differences between palliative and hospice care in California 
Psychology Today; by Bob Uslander, MD; 12/3/24 
... Key Difference Between Palliative and Hospice Care in California: Whether you’re looking for support early in an illness or need end-of-life care, Californians have resources available to help. California also has some unique programs and resources, such as palliative care programs for people covered by Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. Additionally, California has strict laws to protect patients’ rights, ensuring that people are fully informed about your care options and can make choices that align with your personal values and cultural beliefs. Below are some of the key differences highlighted to help you make the best choice possible for you and your family when the time comes. [Click on the title's link for more information.]
Editor's note: Through recent years, too many hospice agencies have eliminated references to end-of-life care, a life-expectancy of six months or less, and references to dying, death, or grief. Various fraud and abuse cases have described that persons/caregivers did not even realize they had signed up for "hospice" care. Ethically, this is untenable. Key differences between palliative and hospice care--with applications to the person--are significant.

[England] Hospice leaders warn hundreds of beds out of use 
BBC News; by Hugh Pym; 12/4/24 
About 300 hospice inpatient beds are currently closed or out of use in England, hospice leaders have warned. They say a lack of funding and staff are the primary reasons why some of England's 170 hospices have had to close beds permanently or take them out of use. Hospice UK, which represents the sector, is now calling for an urgent package of government funding to prevent further cuts. The Department of Health said it was looking at how to financially support hospices to ensure they are sustainable. ... Hospice UK says about 300 beds are closed or out of use in England - out of a total of 2,200 - and the number is increasing.  
Editor's note: This report is the tip of the iceberg among news articles we regularly see from England about funding, lack of government support, and extreme fundraising (in comparison to the United States) in order to provide hospice services.

It is only through awareness of death that we hasten to build the being that we ought to be. ~ Dr. Quintana Arantes