Literature Review

Skin in the game - DOJ’s false claims act focus on wound care and skin substitutesJDSupra; 10/8/26What providers should know about DOJ’s enforcement focus on wound care and skin substitutesThe Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have made wound care services and skin substitute product manufacturers some of their primary healthcare fraud enforcement targets. The recent string of False Claims Act (FCA) settlements makes clear that scrutiny of these providers shows no signs of slowing.Publisher's note: Hospices working with wound care and skin substitute companies might consider how this contributes to SSVI scores.

Aging policy takes center atage at NASHP’s 2026 annual conferenceNASHP press release; by Claire Kolmansberger, Kimberly Hodges, Wendy Fox-Grage; 10/9/26Aging is a core pillar of state health policy. Adults age 65 and older are the fastest-growing age group in the U.S., and by 2034, older adults are projected to outnumber children for the first time. As demographics shift, states are simultaneously navigating direct care workforce shortages, rising demand for long-term services and supports (LTSS), and shifting Medicaid budgets. At NASHP’s 2026 annual conference, aging shaped discussions across a breadth of topics as states grappled with how to sustainably support a growing aging population, including those with complex care needs. Sessions explored strategies to strengthen aging care systems and services, including home- and community-based services, nursing home care, and palliative care. “Aging has come of age.” [says] Rani Snyder, President, The John A. Hartford Foundation.

Journalist Steven Petrow opens up about his sister’s choice to use medical aid in dyingCBS17 [Raleigh, NC]; by Greg Funderburg; 10/11/26Award-winning journalist and author Steven Petrow is set to lead an important conversation about end-of-life options following a deeply personal experience within his own family. Petrow’s sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and after years of battling her illness, she made the poignant decision to choose medical aid in dying, what she considered to be a way to die on her own terms. Petrow, who has long championed civil discourse on sensitive topics, reflects on how his sister’s choice has profoundly influenced his views on autonomy and dignity in death. He has written extensively on this subject for prestigious publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.Note: Source article linked in title does not require a subscription, but The New York Times and Washington Post articles do require a subscription.

Nurses are ready for AI. Are health systems ready to let nurses lead the way?HealthCareBusiness; by Bethany Robertson; 10/9/26Nearly 65% of nurses report using more AI tools today than a year ago, signaling strong adoption momentum amongst the largest workforce in healthcare. Despite this growth, many health systems still view nurses as end users of AI tools, rather than key decision-makers in selecting and implementing these solutions. Forty percent of nurses report having no real say in which AI tools their employer picks or how they get rolled out. Additionally, only 19% believe nurses have a seat at the table when these decisions are made.

Sometimes leadership means changing your socksPolice1; by Lieutenant Frank V. Fanelli; 10/7/26A simple reset can help police supervisors keep frustration, disappointment and yesterday’s setbacks from shaping their next conversation. After more than three decades in law enforcement, I’ve learned that leadership often begins before anyone else realizes it. It starts in those few moments before a meeting, a briefing or a difficult conversation, when we’re deciding what version of ourselves is about to walk into the room. Oddly enough, one of the best leadership lessons I have learned did not come from a police academy, a supervisor or a leadership conference. It came from filmmaker Jon Favreau. In a recent interview, Favreau described how his film crews survived the long days of production. Whenever fatigue set in and everyone felt worn down, someone would suggest the simple ritual of changing their socks. To the crew, it marked a fresh start, a chance to leave the first half of the day behind and begin the second with a different mindset. At first, I laughed. It sounded too simple to make a difference. That interview flipped a switch, making a connection I had never considered before. Then it occurred to me that the socks were never really the point. The reset was. Sometimes we simply need permission to leave behind whatever we’ve been carrying.

What physician mothers miss while caring for everyone elseKevinMD; by Loryn Kromrey; 10/7/26Medicine and motherhood were intertwined from the very beginning. My water broke while I was in the operating room with my first baby, and he was born just two hours later... As physician mothers, we spend so much of our lives taking care of other people’s families. As an anesthesiologist, I had the privilege of caring for children and adults during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. I found so much purpose in my work, and I took that responsibility seriously. But it also came with immense pressure and days that pushed me to my limits. Stepping away gave me the perspective to see how often my own children sometimes got what was left of me after I had spent the day taking care of everyone else. I don’t say that with guilt. It’s simply something I couldn’t see until life forced me to slow down.

Out now: the Global Atlas of Palliative Care, 3rd editionWorldwide Hospice Pallaitive Care Alliance (WHPCA); by Stephen R. Connor; 10/9/26Today, at the 50th Montréal International Palliative Care Congress, we launched the third edition of the Global Atlas of Palliative Care. It offers the most complete picture yet of who needs palliative care worldwide, and who is receiving it. The picture shows real progress, but a gap that remains very wide.

Hospice waits on a court order when no family can speak for youThe Podcast by KevinMD; 10/8/26A man is dying. He cannot speak, and no one in his life can say what he would have wanted. Kirsten Engel is a palliative medicine physician, and Medha Tripathi is a health writer and incoming Fulbright research scholar. This episode is based on their article “Guardianship and hospice care fail dying patients,” published on KevinMD. They explain what happens when a patient has no family and no health care proxy, and a court appoints a guardian who has never met them. A move to comfort measures then needs a court date that can take weeks, while the hospital works in hours and days.Publisher's note: How often do hospices serve patients with no family and/or health care proxy? What challenges do you face? What solutions are available?

How investing in AI can help home care head off Medicare denials, suspensions McKnights Home Care; by John Roszkowski; 10/9/26As government regulators are increasingly using artificial intelligence to identify irregular billing patterns to detect potential fraud and health insurance companies use AI to justify claims denials, home care providers often find themselves at a major disadvantage. Providers need to proactively invest in the right AI technology to address compliance gaps or risk the possibility of regulatory audits, claims denials, or even worse, possible suspension or revocation from the Medicare program.

The future of care at home demands a new narrativeHomeCare; by Jennifer Sheets; 10/6/26No one disputes that fraud, waste and abuse have no place in Medicare or Medicaid. Our community has been clear and consistent on that point. But there’s a difference between rooting out bad actors and treating an entire sector as suspect until proven otherwise. Right now, we are drifting toward the latter.

NGHS Foundation tournament raises $280,000 for Hospice HouseSmokeSignals [GA]; by NGHS; 10/6/26Later this year, the new Chuck and Diane Stephens Hospice House will open its doors thanks to the generosity of donors, including those who participated in the Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) Foundation’s Medical Center Open golf tournament last week. The tournament, which has been raising funds for programs, initiatives, and organizations across Northeast Georgia for the last three decades, raised nearly $280,000 in support of the Hospice House... “We are grateful for the exceptional generosity of Chuck and Diane, whose vision and trust have led us to this point,” said Natalie McNeal, director of Hospice of NGMC.

Hospice medical review top denial reason codes Q2 2026Palmetto GBA; 8/28/26Hospice Medical Review Top Denial Reason Codes: April to June 2026. We encourage all providers to review this information when filing claims to prevent denials and to ensure their claims are processed timely. The following information affects providers billing 81X bill types. Top five denial reasons include [see article for entire list]: