HHS restructuring and workforce reductions – key implications for the health care industry 
JD Supra; by Mintz.com; 4/15/25 
... As part of the department-wide restructuring plan, HHS is in the process of consolidating 28 different divisions into 15 divisions. As of April 4, 2025, it had also reduced the number of Regional Offices from ten to five. ... 

• HHS Regional Offices: As noted above, HHS has reduced the number of Regional Offices to five. The remaining offices include those located in Philadelphia, Denver, Kansas City, Dallas, and Atlanta. Accordingly, it appears that HHS has closed its Regional Offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and San Francisco. The HHS-OGC also closed its office in Dallas.
  
  
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): CMS reportedly lost approximately 300 employees. CNN reported that the RIFs included the entire Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights. The Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office lost its office of Models, Demonstrations and Analysis. ...
  
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):  Reports indicate that the CDC lost divisions related to workplace health and safety, HIV, injury prevention, reproductive health, smoking, and violence prevention, among others. All of the CDC’s staff working to process Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)  requests were also terminated, per CBS reporting. 
  
  
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): There were a reported 1,300 employees laid off at the NIH, with NPR reporting that most of the cuts were to individuals with support positions such as communications, IT, and human resources.  ...

CMS to withdraw federal Medicaid match for workforce, social needs, and infrastructure: What states, health care providers and community organizations need to know 
The National Law Review; by Margia Corner, Adam Herbst of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP; 4/16/25 
In a move signaling a major shift in federal priorities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) recently announced it will limit federal funding for state Medicaid initiatives that support services beyond direct medical care. ... On April 10, CMS notified states that it will no longer approve new, or renew existing, state proposals for Section 1115(a) Demonstration Project expenditure authority to provide federal matching funds for state expenditures for designated state health programs (“DSHP”) and designated state investment programs (“DSIP”). 

Ahead of National Volunteer Week and in celebration of National Volunteer Month, NPHI CEO urges Americans: “Step forward. Be present. Volunteer with your local hospice.” 
National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), Washington, DC; by Matt Wilkinson; 4/16/25 
Ahead of National Volunteer Week next week [April 20-26], and in celebration of National Volunteer Month this April, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is shining a light on the often-unsung heroes of hospice: volunteers. These compassionate individuals are central to the mission of NPHI’s member providers nationwide, offering their time, energy, and hearts to patients and families during life’s most tender and vulnerable moments. NPHI member organizations rely on nearly 30,000 volunteers to keep their programs running—almost matching the number of full- and part-time staff employed across its national member network. Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of hospice volunteers contribute millions of hours of service annually. This deep tradition of volunteerism isn’t just symbolic—it’s built into the very structure of hospice care. All Medicare-certified hospices are required to have volunteers actively involved in patient and family support, reflecting the core values of compassion and community care that define the field.
Editor's note: Throughout the year, find this and more national observances on our newsletters "Healthcare Observances" tab at the top of our website, https://www.hospicepalliativecaretoday.com/resources/healthcare-observances.

Why good palliative care clinicians get fired 
JAMA Network - Viewpoint; by Abby R. Rosenberg, MD, MS, MA; Elliot Rabinowitz, MD; and Robert M. Arnold; 4/14/25 
Even the most seasoned palliative care clinician gets fired. In the past year, one of us was fired after asking whether a patient endorsing suicidal ideation had access to a gun; the patient requested not to see the palliative care team because we asked intrusive questions and documented the encounter. One of us was fired after supporting a family’s decision to discontinue life-sustaining therapies for their loved one with multisystem organ failure; the primary intensivist suggested palliative care overstepped in discussing options for which the family (and clinical teams) was not ready. And one of us was fired after sharing the impression that a patient with cancer was dying; the family suggested they preferred the oncologist’s version of a more hopeful future.

More than just meds: What a palliative care pharmacist learned from the bedside 
Pharmacy Times; by Trinh Bui, PharmD, Yale New Haven Health; April 2025 Issue 
A palliative care pharmacist highlights a spectrum of clinical opportunities for patients, caregivers, and clinicians when rounding at the bedside. ... I hold a unique clinical position. In 2018, the National Palliative Care Registry reported that less than 10% of national palliative care (PC) programs have a dedicated pharmacist. I am a member of the PC consultation service at a cancer hospital affiliated with a large tertiary academic medical center in New Haven, Connecticut. Routinely, we are consulted for at least 40 patients a day, with more than 2000 consults in 2024. ... A benefit of having a clinical pharmacist on the interdisciplinary team includes the ability to provide off-label medication to optimize complex medication regimens while honoring patients’ psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual needs. ...

Patient-centered communication drives supportive care needs in incurable cancer Oncology Nursing News; by Kristie L. Kahl; 4/16/25 
The Primary Palliative Care Communication Intervention (PRECURSOR) may improve the psychosocial experiences of patients with incurable gynecologic cancer and their caregivers in the outpatient setting, according to results of a pilot study presented at the 50th Annual ONS Congress. ... Currently, most of the conversation around supportive care is provider-driven, and clinical tendency is to insert palliative care in the terminal setting. However, the study investigators aimed to integrate supportive care across the cancer continuum.

Florida lawmakers unanimously approve bill to make medical marijuana cards free for military veterans 
Marijuana Moments; by Ben Adlin; 4/15/25 
A Florida House panel on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill that would exempt military veterans from state registration fees for medical marijuana cards, allowing them to obtain the certifications for free. ... If HB 555 becomes law, the changes would take effect July 1.

Empath Health commits funding for hospice, palliative care education at University of Southern Florida
Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 4/16/25
Hospice and senior services provider Empath Health is financially supporting clinical education in hospice and palliative care at the University of Southern Florida (USF). The company has made a $50,000 commitment to supporting education efforts. Empath will provide $10,000 annually to USF’s Center for Hospice, Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies. ... “At Empath Health, we are absolutely doubling down on how important investing in our people is to achieve those goals and outcomes,” CEO Jonathan Fleece said at the Home Care 100 conference in Florida. 

Aveanna CEO Jeff Shaner: Medicaid uncertainty detrimental to markets 
Home Health Care News; by Audrie Martin; 4/16/25 
Earlier this month, Aveanna Healthcare Holdings (Nasdaq: AVAH) announced plans to acquire Thrive Skilled Pediatric Care for $75 million. ... This expands Aveanna’s private-duty services, home health and hospice care, and medical solutions in 27 states. ... Home Health Care News spoke with Aveanna CEO Jeff Shaner about this acquisition, future M&A plans, the impact of potential Medicaid cuts and the value of home-based care. ... Shaner: Regarding the broader M&A strategy, I would say M&A is not our core strategy; caring for pediatric, adult and geriatric patients remains our core mission. However, enhancing our growth profile through add-on acquisition strategies, primarily in our Medicaid business, private-duty service business like Thrive, and home health and hospice businesses, is our focus in 2025 and 2026. ... However, the uncertainty regarding Medicaid and federal funding prompts us to reconsider any long-term investments and ensure we have strategically contemplated the reasons for such investments. 

Join Rebecca Ramsey and Chris Comeaux in exploring the future of home care 
Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Rebecca Ramsey; 4/16/25 
In this episode of TCNtalks, host Chris Comeaux interviews Rebecca Ramsay, CEO of Housecall Providers.  Rebecca shares her unique journey in healthcare and emphasizes the importance of nonprofit organizations in delivering quality care. Rebecca discusses the evolution of Housecall Providers, the significance of home-based primary care, and the interdisciplinary approach required to meet the needs of patients with complex conditions. She also advocates for Hospice organizations to expand into home-based primary care, highlighting the growing demand and the gaps in current services.  Chris and Rebecca explore the challenges of maintaining a stable workforce, the complexities of payment structures, and the importance of a steady referral stream for viable home-based primary care.  

Why risk managers need to address SaaS security 
Risk Management; by Chithra Rajagopalan; 4/15/25 
As organizations increasingly adopt cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) apps that store and handle sensitive and proprietary company data, cybersecurity risks have quickly become direct financial concern. The stakes around SaaS have never been higher—today, current spend on SaaS tools like Workday, Google Workspace and ServiceNow is in the hundreds of billions, or approximately $8,700 per employee. ...

Eight Key Considerations for Risk and Finance Leaders

1. SaaS app inventory: ...
2. User privileges: ...
3. Authentication use: ...
4. Change management: ...
5. Integration management: ...
6. Breach detection and response: ...
7. Compliance monitoring: ...
8. SaaS procurement: ...

Months after CEO’s killing, an intruder is arrested near UnitedHealthcare headquarters in Minnesota 
WIZM News Talk, Minneapolis, MN; by Associated Press; 4/15/25 
A man was arrested near UnitedHealthcare’s headquarters in Minnesota after threatening violence, months after the company’s CEO was killed, authorities said Monday. The man was spotted around 11 a.m. in a parking lot outside of the UnitedHealthcare corporate campus in the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka. City spokesman Andy Wittenborg said the man contacted the FBI’s field office in Minneapolis once he arrived, and an FBI negotiator made contact with him by phone. ... News helicopter video of the aftermath showed over a dozen law enforcement vehicles from multiple agencies at the scene, as well as an ambulance that was standing by. There were no reports of injuries.

Most men secretly regret these life decisions once they hit 50 
Bolde; by Natasha Lee; 4/15/25 
Hitting the big 5-0 has a way of making you take stock of your life choices. It's that moment when the road behind you starts looking longer than the one ahead, and suddenly, those decisions you made in your 20s, 30s, and 40s come into sharper focus. ...  I've gathered insights from countless discussions with men in their 50s and beyond to shed light on these common regrets.

1. Letting Their Health Take A Backseat ...
2. Spending Too Many Weekends At The Office ...
3. Allowing Friendships To Fade Away ...
4. Never Learning How To Talk About Their Feelings ...
5. Playing It Safe When They Could Have Taken A Leap ...
6. Not Asking For Help When Life Got Hard ...
7. Putting Off That Passion Project ...
8. The Way They Handled Money In Their 30s And 40s ...
9. Not Being More Present During Their Children's Early Years ...
10. The Skills They Never Bothered To Learn ...
11. The Grudges They Held Onto That Weren't Worth the Energy ...
12. Avoiding Difficult Conversations With Aging Parents ...
13. Postponing Travel And Adventure For "Someday" ...
14. Not Taking More Photos And Recording Family Memories ...
15. Letting Physical Intimacy Fade Without Addressing It ...

Editor's Note: Many of these are voiced when people are reflecting on their lives, at the end of their lives. How much better for all of us--not just men--to learn from these earlier, whatever one's age. 

German doctor charged with murdering 15 patients 
Time.News; Press Release; 4/16/25 
... The accusations against the unnamed 40-year-old doctor are disturbing: administering lethal doses of drugs to terminally ill patients without their knowledge. This raises unsettling questions about the boundaries of medical ethics and the role of healthcare professionals in the lives—and deaths—of their patients. Between September 2021 and July 2024, the doctor allegedly unmasked a hidden danger, killing 12 women and three men, some as young as 25 and others as old as 94. Prosecutors have warned that the total may rise as investigations deepen, with additional exhumations of suspicious deaths planned. ... What makes this case even more sinister is the alleged attempts by the doctor to conceal his actions—setting fire to his patients’ homes to destroy evidence. 

With the story of your life, you don't get to write the whole book, just your character. ~ Olivia Munn