Literature Review

Medical assistance in dying bill draws large turnoutConcord Monitor, by Sruthi Gopalakrishnan; 2/7/24People in wheelchairs, others relying on crutches, some facing terminal illness and some caregivers packed a hearing Wednesday for a bill that would allow medically assisted dying in New Hampshire. While most of the attendees expressed support for House Bill 1283 to help those enduring pain during the final stages of life, Jonathan Eddinger, president of the state board of medicine, advocates for a shift in focus toward improving the ability to alleviate pain and suffering rather than making death an option to end such agony.

CMS notifies HCA Mission Hospital of immediate jeopardy statusBecker's Clinical Leadership, by Erica Carbajal; 2/6/24CMS has sent a letter to HCA's Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., to notify leadership that the hospital is in immediate jeopardy and must take action to avert the loss of federal funding...

Inside agilon health’s palliative care game planHospice News, by Jim Parker; 2/7/24The senior care company agilon health ... will more than double the size of its palliative care program this year, with plans to leverage its robust suite of data to optimize care. 

Concurrent Medicare hospice & curative care improves quality & reduces costs 13%Open Minds; 2/7/24Medicare beneficiaries with terminal health conditions who participated in the Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM), received high quality care at a 13% lower cost compared to similar beneficiaries who did not receive the MCCM services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) tested this new model as an option for Medicare beneficiaries to receive supportive care services while continuing to receive services for their terminal condition.

Children to have a place to grieve: Shepherd’s Cove Hospice plans musical-themed activity garden at Albertville facility Sand Mountain - The Reporter, by Mary Bailey; 2/6/24Shepherd’s Cove Hospice is in the beginning stages of building a space where children can grieve and cope with loss on site at their facility. The “Shepherd’s Cove Activity Garden” will be a place where children will be able to run, play and continue to be children while dealing with their emotions.

Medicare Advantage in the headlines: 9 recent updatesBecker's Payer Issues, by Rylee Wilson; 1/30/24Challenges loom for Medicare Advantage in 2024, with payers reporting rising medical costs and lower growth expectations for the year. [Click on the title's link for] nine Medicare Advantage updates Becker's has reported since Jan. 22.

Government warns Medicare Advantage insurers not to deny care based on AI STAT, by Casey Ross and Bob Herman; 2/7/24In recent months, the federal government has repeatedly told Medicare Advantage insurers that they cannot use artificial intelligence or algorithms to deny medical services the government routinely covers. But in finalizing a rule to that effect, it also stepped into a thicket of questions from insurers about a technology that is especially difficult to pin down: What is AI? Can it be used at all to make decisions about the coverage of older patients? If so, how?

Las Vegas conference examines the impact of 'right to die' lawsMountain West News Bureau, by Yvette Fernandez; 2/5/24A University of Nevada Las Vegas conference [discussed] "lessons learned" from U.S. states and other countries that allow medical aid in dying. Dr. David Orentlicher is head of the UNLV Health Law Program, which held the conference on Feb. 1 and 2. He said so-called "right to die" laws in the United States have very strict requirements. ... Only 10 states and the District of Columbia allow for medical aid in dying. ... As a Nevada legislator, Orentlicher was one of the co-sponsors of the “Death with Dignity” bill, SB 239, ... said the option of having a physician present could improve state laws.

Alzheimer's: Watch for signs it's time to start hospice careThe Advocate, by Dana Territo; 2/5/24When is someone with dementia ready for hospice care? ... Some of the characteristics the affected individual may be exhibiting include the lack of ability to ambulate without assistance, incontinence of bowel and bladder, inability to dress and bathe properly, and speech limited to approximately a half dozen or fewer intelligible and different words. There are also intercurrent illnesses associated with advanced dementia in which hospice services would be a benefit. 

Hospice of Western Reserve plans to merge with Hospice of North Central OhioCrain's Cleveland Business, by Paige Bennett; 2/6/24Hospice of the Western Reserve, a provider of palliative and end-of-life care, caregiver support and bereavement services and one of Cleveland’s largest nonprofits, intends to merge with the Hospice of North Central Ohio.

Staying Competitive With Consumerism in HealthcareMedCity News, by Mike Szczesny; 2/2/24Adapting to healthcare consumerism is vital for providers to stay competitive. Shifting from traditional roles to informed consumers requires embracing transparency, technology, and personalized care.

Medicare Advantage plans face new rate cut under CMS proposalModern Healthcare, by Nona Tepper; 1/31/24The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is calling for another reduction in the Medicare Advantage base payment rate, which could further challenge health insurers struggling with rising costs. Under a proposed rule issued Wednesday, the Medicare Advantage benchmark would be 0.16% less in calendar 2025 than under current policy, excluding risk adjustment, and would mark a second consecutive year of a lower benchmark rate. The agency plans to finalize the rule by April 1.

CMS seeks input on Medicare Advantage transparency policyModern Healthcare, by Alison Bennett; 1/25/24The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wants public input to guide possible future regulations to mandate greater transparency from Medicare Advantage plans, according to a request for information issued Thursday. The agency has sought to shed more light on Medicare Advantage operations and finances in recent years and required insurers to reveal information in areas such as medical loss ratio calculations, prior authorization processes, supplemental benefits and health equity.