Literature Review

The grave outlook for hospice family caregivers Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/10/25 The state of family caregiving in the United States has reached a critical tipping point amid rising demand for end-of-life care and insufficient resources. Many family caregivers are ill-equipped to navigate the complexities of supporting a loved one with a terminal illness, according to Dr. Arul Thangavel, CEO of the advance care planning company WiserCare. Thangavel is also an attending physician at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Among the issues is that conversations about the end of life and goals of care are often brought up far too late in a disease trajectory, Thangavel said. This trend leaves families grappling with uncertainty, moral distress, guilt and compounded grief in the decision-making process, he stated. 

Health care attorneys: Hospice investigations coming from all sides Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 7/8/25 Hospices are subject to a rising number of investigations and audits from Medicare contractors, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and, in some cases, the U.S. Justice Department, among others. Hospices need to understand the various types of investigations they may encounter and how to respond to them. Key factors are completely and accurately documenting the medical necessity of the care they receive. Hospice News sat down with Guillermo Beades and Todd Brower, partners with the law firm Frier Levitt to discuss the ins-and-outs of hospice investigations and how providers should respond.

When less is more: Addressing polypharmacy in high-risk populations Pharmacy Times; by Andrew E. Esch, MD, MBA and Alain Hipensteele; 7/7/25 As digital health tools and artificial intelligence (AI)–powered clinical decision support systems become increasingly embedded in pharmacy workflows, pharmacists are gaining new opportunities to identify and address the risks of polypharmacy—particularly in high-risk populations such as older adults and those receiving palliative care. At the same time, evolving deprescribing guidelines and ongoing drug shortages have underscored the need for coordinated, patient-centered medication management strategies. In this interview with Pharmacy Times®, Andrew E. Esch, MD, MBA, director of the Palliative Care Program Development at the Center to Advance Palliative Care, discusses how pharmacists are using emerging technologies to streamline medication reviews, reduce therapeutic duplication, and engage caregivers in deprescribing conversations. 

Hospice programs shutter amid financial strains Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 7/3/25 Financial and staffing headwinds are chipping away at hospices’ sustainability, with some providers recently pausing or closing their programs. Concerns have also mounted amid federal Medicaid cuts.

Reopening of Hospice House stalls after Seasons Hospice exits Steele County Southernminn, Faribault, MN; by Annie Harman; 7/1/25 What has been a continuing journey of peaks and valleys has come upon yet another roadblock as volunteers with the Homestead Hospice House announce the reopening of the residential hospice facility will be put on hold. The news comes after Seasons Hospice, a nonprofit hospice care organization based out of Rochester, has made the decisions to discontinue their home care and hospice services in Steele County. Seasons had initially partnered with the board of the Homestead Hospice House in August 2024 to work toward reopening the facility, raising $850,000 — $350,000 to reopen the facility and cover startup funds for IT and staff, and an additional $500,000 to secure operating funds for the first year. 

Natural disasters, climate change, and the impact on hospice and palliative care teams and their patients American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) Quarterly; by Larry Beresford; Summer 2025 Edition, 7/3/25 Several recent natural disasters, including highly destructive wildfires in Los Angeles and Maui and flooding in the North Carolina hills caused by rains from Hurricane Helene, have provided vivid reminders that disasters can happen anywhere, anytime. Hospice and palliative care providers, responsible for the care of patients with serious illnesses who live in their homes and in long-term care facilities, could be dealing with disruptions in power or phone service, other communication barriers, staffing shortages, impassible roads, even large-scale evacuations of their patients. ... Are agencies doing what they can to plan, prepare, and practice for managing disasters, which could also include human-caused crises or events like earthquakes that are not subject to weather or climate?

Petaluma and Santa Rosa hospice workers kick off 2-day strike against Providence Petaluma Argus-Courier, Petaluma, CA; 7/2/25 Nearly 100 hospice workers and supporters protested in Petaluma and Santa Rosa on Wednesday as part of a two-day strike against what they call bad-faith bargaining with Providence as the health care giant joins forces with a private equity-backed hospice company. The hospice workers, who are represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, said they’ve been locked in negotiations for their first contract for two years and are frustrated with Providence’s “stalling.” They accuse the health care provider of not wanting to settle their contract while it works on a joint venture with a for-profit company. 

Alliance Statement on House passage of Reconciliation Bill: Medicaid provisions threaten home and community-based services for millions of vulnerable Americans National Alliance for Care at Home, Alexandira, VA and Washington DC; Press Release; 7/3/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) issued the following statement today in response to the House’s passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” also known as the Reconciliation bill, which now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature. “The Alliance is deeply troubled by the Medicaid provisions within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which has passed both chambers of Congress and now awaits President Trump’s signature,” said Alliance CEO Dr. Steve Landers. “These provisions—including work requirements, reduced provider taxes, and new cost-sharing mandates—prioritize short-sighted budget savings over the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable citizens who rely on home and community-based services (HCBS).”

Hospice News ELEVATE: C-suite perspectives on hospice in 2025 Hospice News; by Sophie Knoelke; 6/30/25... This article is based on a Hospice News discussion with Susan Ponder-Stansel, CEO of Alivia Care, Scott Levy, Chief Government Affairs Officer for the National Alliance for Care at Home and Dr. Derrel Walker, CMO of The Pennant Group. This discussion took place on April 10th, 2025 during the Hospice ELEVATE conference. 

Providence hospice workers to hold 1st strike Becker's Hospital Review; by Kelly Gooch; 6/30/25 Providence workers are set to begin a two-day strike July 2 at Hospice of Petaluma (Calif.) and Memorial Hospice in Santa Rosa, Calif. The action marks their first-ever strike and comes amid ongoing contract negotiations. The strike involves more than 100 nurses, social workers, home health aides, chaplains and other hospice workers, according to their union, the National Union of Healthcare Workers. Union-represented hospice workers have been negotiating their first contract with Renton, Wash.-based Providence since 2023, when they unionized, according to NUHW. They contend that Providence has not adequately bargained — a concern compounded by the system’s planned transition of home-based care services to Compassus through a joint venture. 

National Health Care Fraud Takedown results in 324 defendants charged in connection with over $14.6 billion in alleged fraud: Largest Justice Department Health Care Fraud Takedown in history, more than doubles prior record of $6 billion Office of Public Affairs - U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC; 6/30/25 The Justice Department today announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers.Editor's Note: For cases specific to hospice and palliative care, (1) go to our homepage, (2) ;ogin to your newsletter account, (3) use the search engine at the top of our page, using the key word "fraud". We have posted  204 articles about hospice fraud, since we began this format on 1/1/2024. Ongoing, use this search engine as your first "Go To" resource for targeted, timely information.

Wisconsin author discusses her mother’s aging, dying in the American health care system: The long-term care system failed both her and her mother, she writes Wisconsin Public Radio; by Colleen Leahy; 6/27/25At age 99, Judy Karofsky’s mother was kicked out of her Wisconsin hospice facility. Within 48 hours of that decision, Karofsky became her mother’s default nurse. “I had to find a wheelchair for her. I had to keep track of her meds. I had to buy all the bandages and supplies that she would [need],” Karofsky told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” Karofsky is the author of “Diselderly Conduct: The Flawed Business of Assisted Living and Hospice.” In it, she chronicles nightmare scenarios as her mother aged and died in the American healthcare system: making her way through independent living, six different assisted living facilities, memory care, skilled nursing and hospice.