CMS Opens HOPE Registration Portal for iQIES 
CMS.gov; Information below summarized for hospice leaders by Judi Lund Person; 8/20/25 
All hospice providers who will be submitting data from the HOPE tool will be submitting it through the iQIES portal. CMS recently opened up the portal, which requires a two-step process. CMS has set a deadline of September 10, 2025 for applications to be submitted and approved. If a hospice does not complete this process and have an approved iQIES log in by the deadline, it is possible that HOPE data will not be able to be submitted effective October 1, 2025.

1. Create a HARP account by creating an account at https://harp.cms.gov/register. A quick start guide can be found here.
2. Identify the employees in the organization that will be designated as Provider Security Official(s). Those individuals that will be registered in HARP -- preferably at least two but could be more based on your hospice organization.
3. After Identity proofing and your MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) is complete, you can access iQIES at the following URL: https://iqies.cms.gov/ using your HARP ID and password (completed in step 1 above) to initiate your Provider Security Official role request for YOUR specific provider CCN. A YouTube video is helpful in understanding this process - HARP Registration.
4. Once the PSO role request has been submitted AND approved, you will receive notification via email. At this point you will be one of the designated PSOs for your CCN and have the authority to approve/deny subsequent requests for access of various role types to your provider's CCN. 
5. When you have approval, you can begin submitting HOPE data.

Attorney General Bonta conducts first-ever review of proposed hospice affiliations, conditionally approves transactions to ensure continued access to hospice services 
California Department of Justice, Rob Bonta - Attorney General, Oakland, CA; Press Release; 8/20/25
California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced conditionally approving the affiliations of Chapters Health System, Inc., a Florida not-for-profit hospice provider, with two nonprofit hospice providers in California. Chapters Health System, Inc. is seeking to expand its current operations, which are largely based on the East Coast, through the creation of “Chapters West Region,” a nonprofit hospice network covering California, Nevada, and Oregon. Specifically, in California, Chapters Health System, Inc. proposed affiliations with East Bay Integrated Care, Inc. (doing business as Hospice East Bay) and Hospice of Santa Cruz County. Both Hospice East Bay and Hospice of Santa Cruz County are longstanding providers of hospice and palliative care in their respective communities. Under California law, any transaction involving the sale, or transfer of control and governance of a nonprofit health facility, must secure the approval of the Attorney General’s Office. Today’s conditional approval represents the first-ever review involving nonprofit hospice providers by the Attorney General’s Office; the overwhelming majority of hospice providers are for-profit entities.  

Everyone deserves a dignified death. But will everyone get one? 
U.S. News & World Report; Commentary by Tom Koutsoumpas; 8/18/25 
Before hospice care first came to the United States in the 1970s, the experience of dying in America was often a cold and lonely one. ... Nonprofit hospices that are grounded in their communities deliver comprehensive support to patients and families and reinvest every dollar back into mission-driven services. They have consistently delivered some of the highest-quality outcomes for patients and families. ... The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation supports nonprofit hospices in upholding high standards and making sure end-of-life care is delivered with compassion – not profit – in mind. We have advocated for policies that put patients first, strengthen hospice regulations and advance quality, community-based care.

Marine veteran’s hospice wedding celebrates love and compassion 
Greater Good; Guest Contributor; 8/18/25 
When Marine Corps Veteran Ivson Shelley entered hospice care at the Lebanon VA Medical Center in Pennsylvania, he had one final wish: to marry his lifelong love, Wanda Rivera. Their story, shared by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is a testament to enduring love, the compassion of caregivers, and the power of community. As a Vietnam War Veteran, Shelley’s journey is already marked by service and sacrifice. But it is this deeply personal moment—his wedding in hospice—that has touched hearts across the country and highlighted the dedication of VA staff in honoring Veterans' final wishes.

Statement from MNA President on Essentia supervisor’s threats to workers 
Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA), Duluth, MN; Press Release; 8/20/25 
The following is a statement released by Minnesota Nurses Association President Chris Rubesch, RN: 

Nurses and healthcare workers at Essentia Health deserve a safe workplace where they can care for patients without fear of intimidation or retaliation. During MNA’s strike in July, clinic nurses and APPs on the picket line received threats from their direct supervisor at Essentia’s Superior and 3rd Street Urgent Care Clinics. He threatened to run them over with his car and shoot them with a paintball gun while they exercised their legal right to strike. Instead of holding the supervisor accountable, Essentia conducted a flawed investigation, ignored key witnesses, and has now reinstated the supervisor to oversee the very workers he threatened. 

This decision sends a dangerous message: that Essentia does not take threats against employees seriously. No healthcare worker should ever be supervised by the very person who threatened their safety. No patient should ever wonder if their caregiver is working under intimidation. ...

BAYADA Home Health Care announces CEO succession plan: Board Succession Committee launches a thorough CEO search 
BAYADA Home Health Care, Moorestown, NJ; Press Release; 8/19/25 
BAYADA Home Health Care (“BAYADA”), a nonprofit organization and one of the nation's largest providers of home health, personal home care, private duty nursing, and hospice services, today announced the start of a leadership transition that will conclude with current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) David Baiada moving into a new role on the BAYADA Board of Directors (“Board”) upon the appointment of the company’s next CEO. The Board’s Succession Committee has initiated a comprehensive search for BAYADA’s next CEO—the first non-family member to lead the organization. As the search progresses, David will continue in his role as CEO and will serve as an advisor during the transition. 

Davina McCall reveals 'end of life checklist' after devastating tumour news from doctor 
Express; by Emmanuella Ngimbi; 8/18/25 
TV presenter Davina McCall opened up about the major action she took after being diagnosed with a brain tumour during a health check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work in November. Despite being told it was benign, the 57-year-old was convinced death was imminent and proceeded to make an end-of-life checklist, which she now says was “the best gift.” ... Davina revealed that in the end, her checklist came down to finding peace in the fact that her loved ones would survive without her.

Navigating the Wage Index: Insights from industry experts 
Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Annette Kiser and Judi Lund Person; 8/20/25 
The healthcare landscape is transforming before our eyes, shifting away from hospital-centered care toward home-based models.  This fundamental change raises urgent questions about Medicare's outdated reimbursement systems, particularly for Hospice providers facing a mere 2.6% rate increase while battling significant inflation. Join us in this illuminating conversation and in-depth discussion with industry experts Annette Kiser, Chief Compliance Officer with Teleios, and Judi Lund Person, Principal, Lund Person & Associates LLC, as they sit down with Chris and explore the complexities of the final 2026 Hospice Wage Index and its impact on Hospice organizations.

Research Institute for Home Care and National Alliance for Care at Home ink affiliation agreement 
National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; Press Release; 8/20/25 
The Research Institute for Home Care (the Institute) and the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) have entered into an affiliation agreement to strengthen and expand research efforts while further unifying the care at home movement. The agreement is effective immediately. ... With this affiliation, the Institute will remain an independent research organization... The Institute’s Board of Directors will continue to independently oversee its research agenda and initiatives. The Alliance will provide comprehensive management support for the Institute’s operations. At the launch of the affiliation, Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the Alliance, will also serve as the President of the Institute. Jennifer Schiller, the former Executive Director of the Institute, has joined the Alliance leadership team and will continue to support Institute initiatives along with other Alliance leaders. Jennifer Sheets, Founder and CEO of Carezzi, will remain the Board Chairman of the Institute.  

The mixed home-based care dealmaking outlook 
Home Health Care News; by Joyce Famakinwa; 8/18/25 
... Kris Novak, managing director of The Braff Group, explained that M&A experts are seeing similar volumes to the last couple of years. While some segments of home-based care face significant challenges that can slow dealmaking, others are insulated from some external factors. Overall, an uptick in transaction activity is right around the corner. ... Novak noted that, in addition to home care, we can expect to see a number of hospice acquisitions as the year continues. ... Novak also predicts that we may see PE interest in what are described as more niche segments of home-based care, such as private-duty nursing or pediatrics.

Process & outcome evaluation of a rural health network to assess effectiveness
Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice; by Sarah Mollman, Kelly Boyd, Charlene Berke, Mari Perrenoud, Vonda Reed, Carol Stewart; 8/19/25
Background: Rural residents face many health disparities and challenges. Rural health networks form to address the specific needs of a community by bringing together multiple individuals and organisations; however, there is limited literature on the evaluation of these networks.
Objective: To evaluate a network's effectiveness in three areas: (1) capacity to achieve change in palliative care education, (2) key results of collaborative efforts, and (3) extent to which grant activities were implemented.
Results: The network was proficient or excelling in all 15 areas of a Network Organisational Assessment and represented all 38 key sectors representing the focus of network (palliative care). 

Light tomorrow with today. ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning