Literature Review

Colorado exemplifies how to build opon paid leave progress to meet families’ evolving needs A Better Balance; 6/3/25 Colorado continues to pave the way for strong work-family protections by modeling how these policies can be expanded to meet families' needs. This spring, Colorado expanded the state’s paid family and medical leave program (the FAMLI Act, which our Colorado Office helped write and pass) to include an additional 12 weeks of paid leave for parents with a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit. Governor Polis signed the bill into law on Friday, May 30th, and Colorado workers with a child in the NICU will be able to take additional leave under the expansion beginning on or after January 1, 2026. ... For parents with children in the NICU, additional time off work to remain present can be a lifeline during a stressful time.Editor's note: As we know, the fragile and uncertain health of an infant in a neonatal intensive care unit can, heartbreakingly, lead to death. This—one of the most devastating forms of loss—often leaves parents to grieve in silence, their sorrow compounded by the experience of disenfranchised grief. While family and friends care deeply, they frequently falter in their efforts to provide meaningful support. Though it has been more than two decades since I served on the Pediatric Team at Hospice & Palliative Care of Louisville—only four years in total—my memories remain vivid. The emotions expressed by mothers and fathers, grandparents and siblings still rise easily to the surface, reminding me how enduring and raw such losses can be. Bravo ti Colorado's FAMLI Act. May more states follow their lead.

Rosen introduces bipartisan bills to expand access to palliative care, hospice careJacky Rosen, U.S. Senator for Nevada, Washington, DC; 6/5/25 U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Comprehensive Care Caucus, announced the introduction of a pair of bipartisan bills to expand access to palliative and hospice care. The Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act with Senators Barrasso (R-WY), Baldwin (D-WI), and Fischer (R-NE) would establish a demonstration project through Medicare to expand access to palliative care at the time of diagnosis of serious illness or injury. The Improving Access to Transfusion Care for Hospice Patients Act with Senators Barrasso (R-WY) and Baldwin (D-WI) would carve out payment for transfusion services within the Medicare hospice benefit, allowing for separate billing to Medicare for transfusions. This would improve access to hospice care for patients who rely on transfusion care to maintain quality of life.

TCN/HPC Today: Storm clouds on the horizon for reimbursement - Top news stories, May 2025 Teleios Collaborative Network (TCN); podcast by Chris Comeaux with Cordt Kassner, 6/4/25 What happens when artificial intelligence meets end-of-life care?  How do we reconcile private equity's profit motives with hospice's mission-driven ethos?  These questions took center stage in this month's roundup of hospice news with host Chris Comeaux and guest Cordt Kassner. The May edition of TCNtalks' top news stories reveals a healthcare sector at a fascinating crossroads.  AI has emerged as both a tantalizing promise and a practical challenge for hospice providers.  ... In this episode of TCN Talks, hosts Chris Comeaux and Cord Kassner reflect on Memorial Day and discuss significant news stories from May, including the complexities of thanking veterans for their service, the role of artificial intelligence in hospice care, and the importance of honest conversations about racism in healthcare.Editor's note: This monthly podcast combines quantitative data and qualitative discussion from articles gleaned from the 400+ posts we provide each month. Do you seek to make sense of it all? Tune in and learn. We welcome your feedback via our newsletter's Contact page. 

Q&A with Jim Obergefell on the future of Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling, LGBTQ rights Fremont News Messenger; by Laura A. Bischoff; 6/1/25 In 2013, Ohioans Jim Obergefell and John Arthur flew on a medical jet to exchange vows in Maryland where same-sex marriage was legal at the time. With Arthur in hospice care for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, time was slipping away for the Cincinnati couple and their home state of Ohio prohibited same-sex marriage. Days after their tarmac wedding, civil rights attorney Al Gerhardstein showed them a blank Ohio death certificate. "Do you guys understand that when John dies, his last record as a person will be wrong here, where it says marital status at the time of death?" Gerhardstein told them. "Ohio will say John was unmarried. And Jim, your name will not be here, where it says surviving spouse name." Brokenhearted and angry at the idea of not being recognized by Ohio, Arthur and Obergefell told Gerhardstein, yes, they wanted to do something about it. Arthur didn't live to see the fruits of that decision: On June 26, 2015, in a 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court decided states must allow for same-sex marriages and must recognize those solemnized in other states. Arthur died in October 2013 at the age of 48.

French lawmakers approve assisted dying bill Le Monde with AP and AFP; 5/27/25France's Assemblée Nationale adopted a bill on Tuesday, May 27, to allow adults with incurable illnesses to take lethal medication, the initial step in a lengthy process that could grant patients medical assistance to end their lives in clearly defined circumstances. The bill received 305 votes in favor and 199 against, after all parties in parliament allowed their lawmakers a free vote on the issue. It will now be sent to the Sénat for further debate. A definitive vote on the bill could take months to be scheduled. In parallel, another bill on palliative care, meant to reinforce measures to relieve pain and preserve patients' dignity, was also adopted on Tuesday, unanimously. 

Providers, advocates ask Senate to reject $700M in Medicaid cuts, Congress to save OAA programs McKnights Senior Living; by Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 5/27/25Providers and advocates for older adults are counting on the Senate to reject a portion of the proposed federal budget that would gut $700 million from the Medicaid program. Members of the House of Representatives passed their version of the bill late Wednesday. ... Home care advocates ANCOR and the National Alliance for Care at Home on Thursday also called on the Senate to reject the House-passed cuts to Medicaid.

Colorado end-of-life care residency requirement challenged Bloomberg Law; by Ryan Autullo; 5/22/25 A terminally ill Minnesota man is asking a federal court to let doctors in Colorado administer drugs to him so he can die peacefully there, a challenge to the state’s residency requirement in accessing end-of-life care. Prohibiting Colorado doctors from giving non-residents drugs to ease suffering in their final months is unconstitutional, lawyers for Jeff McComas wrote in a complaint filed Thursday in the US District Court for the District of Colorado.

From an old ambulance, they help the growing homeless population CT Mirror; by Ginny Monk; 5/25/25 The needs of the unhoused are becoming more complex, and the fight for state support is fierce. ... Launched in 2021, the [Neighborhood Health workers] team drives a refurbished ambulance to shelters or encampments, then provides health care on-site for people experiencing homelessness. They’re out nearly every day. In recent months, as more people, particularly seniors, have lost their housing, health workers are finding that the cases they handle are more complicated. People often have multiple diagnoses, and with older age groups, there are often health complications that make the illnesses or injuries harder to treat. Sometimes, conversations are veering to end-of-life care. These conversations between health care professionals and patients are poignant as state lawmakers debate funding for the systems that offer shelter and other services for the unhoused population. ...

Proposed California budget calls for prior authorization for hospice in Medicaid Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 5/22/25 The proposed California budget would require prior authorizations for hospice care within the state’s Medicaid program. Currently, Medicaid managed care plans who provide coverage through the state’s Medicaid system, Medi-Cal, may not perform prior authorizations for hospice. California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) indicated in a 2025-2026 budget revision that this could save $25 million over the next two years and more than $50 million in the long term. If enacted, this would make California the first state in the nation to implement such a rule, according to the California Hospice & Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA). The association contends that the anticipated $25 million in cost savings is “speculative and fails to account for the downstream costs and systemic burdens this proposal would create,” according to a position paper shared with Hospice News. ... CHAPCA recommended to the state government three alternative approaches: ...

New Mexico legalizes medical use of psilocybin JD Supra; by Patrick Clark and Jennifer Pacicco; 5/20/25 On April 7, 2025, New Mexico became the third state to legalize psilocybin (colloquially known as “magic mushrooms” or “shrooms”) for medical purposes. New Mexico is the first state to legalize psilocybin via legislation and not a ballot initiative, like its predecessors Colorado and Oregon. Under the new law—the “Medical Psilocybin Act”—the following qualifying conditions are listed as eligible for psilocybin treatment: “(1) major treatment-resistant depression; (2) post-traumatic stress disorder; (3) substance use disorders; (4) end-of-life care.” The law also allows the New Mexico Department of Health to promulgate regulations that would add qualifying conditions to that list. ... Employers are not required to accommodate employees under the influence of psilocybin at work.

Iowa legislature passes "Mason's Law," with assistance from Children's Respite Homes of America, paving way for 1st Pediatric Palliative Care Center License in the nation Cision PRWeb; by Children's Respite Homes of America; 5/16/25 Iowa has made history. With final approval from both chambers of the Iowa Legislature, "Mason's Law" (House File HF 933) has officially passed, making Iowa the first state poised to authorize a specialized Pediatric Palliative Care Center license. This landmark legislation now awaits the Governor's signature—anticipated before the end of June—and is set to transform how children with life-limiting conditions receive care in Iowa and beyond. Named in memory of Mason Sieck, a young child who passed away in 2021, Mason's Law represents the tireless advocacy of Mason's parents, Shanna and Curtis Sieck. 

A proposal to remove hospice providers from a state review poses a threat to patient care The Boston Globe, Boston, MA; by Diana Franchitto; 5/16/25 The General Assembly should maintain rigorous standards and oppose rolling back Rhode Island’s Certificate of Need process, writes HopeHealth president and CEO. ... As the president and CEO of HopeHealth Hospice & Palliative Care, I am proud that Rhode Island offers some of the highest-quality hospice care in the nation. But right now, legislation before the General Assembly could put that quality at risk.A proposal in Governor Dan McKee‘s fiscal 2026 budget would eliminate the requirement that hospice providers be scrutinized by Rhode Island’s Certificate of Need (CON) process. Some may position this as an effort to streamline government, but those of us who work in hospice care know better. The CON process isn’t one of the flashier, public-facing functions of state government, but it has a direct impact on the quality of health and hospice care that Rhode Islanders receive throughout their lives. ... Exempting hospice from meeting the rigorous standards that a CON requires poses an immediate threat to the quality of patient care. ...