Literature Review

National Alliance for Care at Home, Transcend Strategy Group release hospice report HomeCare, Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC; HomeCare; 1/3/25 The National Alliance for Care at Home (The Alliance) and Transcend Strategy Group, a marketing agency for homecare companies, published the results of their Rural American Hospice Insights report, a new study that explored perceptions of hospice care among rural and small-town communities. The Alliance said the survey, which included 400 participants, aims to provide health equity and break down barriers to accessing hospice and homecare through knowledge sharing, data collection and collaborative discussion.  “Ensuring access to high-quality hospice and homecare in rural communities is critical,” said Steve Landers, CEO of The National Alliance for Care at Home. “These communities deserve care that is tailored to their unique needs, and in an America where more and more health care desserts are arising due to provider closures from inadequate reimbursement, maintaining quality care and continuing to build trust in the care provided is of the utmost importance."

Tributes to President Jimmy Carter

CMS names first Hospice Special Focus Program Cohort, delays list of future candidates Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 12/23/24 Finalized in the 2024 home health payment rule, the program is designed to identify poor performing hospices, mandate quality improvement and in some cases impose additional penalties. However, stakeholders in the hospice space have contended that the agency’s methodology for selecting hospices for the program is deeply flawed. For this reason, they have argued that the list of operators should not be made public. Though CMS published the list, it delayed the release of a second that would point to future candidates for the program. “CMS has also generated a list of future SFP candidates. We are not publishing the candidate list at this time, but we are sharing the underlying data used to create both lists to allow for external review, thereby ensuring transparency in the process by which low-performing hospices are identified,” the agency indicated on its website. “We will continue to work with providers, patients and their families, and industry, to improve hospice care across the nation.” Stakeholders applauded the delay, including the National Alliance for Care at Home. [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]

Fierce 50 Award presented to NPHI CEO at New York Gala National Partnership for Healtcare and Hospice Innovation - NPHI, Washington, DC; Press release; 12/9/24The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) and Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO, were honored with a Fierce 50 Award at the 2024 Fierce 50 Awards Gala in New York City on December 5. Hosted by Fierce Life Sciences and Fierce Healthcare, the event celebrated fifty trailblazers—individuals and organizations driving transformative change in healthcare, biopharma, and biotech. NPHI and Tom were recognized in the Innovation category for a bold commitment to healthcare innovation and for leadership in hospice, palliative, and advanced illness care through NPHI’s network of mission-driven, nonprofit providers. ... “It was such an honor to be in New York to celebrate this outstanding achievement, and to be surrounded by other major innovators across healthcare,” said Tom Koutsoumpas, NPHI CEO who gave an acceptance speech. “This recognition reflects the passion and dedication of our nonprofit members in setting standards of quality for hospice and end-of-life care. It was inspiring to share the evening with leaders who, like us, are deeply committed to transforming healthcare to better serve patients, families, and communities.” Editor's note: NPHI is a sponsor of our newsletter.

New alliance steps up as voice for providers & patients HomeCare; by Hannah Wolfson; 12/3/24 Stopping Medicare cuts, ensuring Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have good access to care, passing groundbreaking hospice legislation and bringing homecare into the forefront are all priorities for the newly-formed National Alliance for Care at Home, said CEO Steve Landers. “We’ve got to start improving access to home health care, and the way that we do that is we end this march of payment cuts that are being set forward by Medicare,” Landers said at the Alliance’s Homecare and Hospice Conference and Expo, which was held in October in Tampa, Florida. ... The alliance has automatically enrolled members of both legacy organizations, but Landers said that for renewals or new members, participants will be required to sign an attestation that says they have a program in place for quality and compliance, that they monitor the Office of Inspector General’s expulsion list and don’t take referrals or staff from organizations on that list and that they strive to participate in Medicare’s quality reporting programs.

Don’t let CMS publish list of lowest-performing hospices, Alliance tells lawmakers McKnights Home Care; by Liza Berger; 11/26/24 Acting on its plan to keep the hospice Special Focus Program in the spotlight until the end of the year, the National Alliance for Care at Home has sent congressional leaders a letter urging them to remedy the grading system for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ program targeting underperforming hospices. “CMS is on the verge of publishing a list of what they claim will be poor-performing hospices based on this flawed grading system,” Ken Albert, president and CEO of Andwell Health Partners and chair of the Alliance, wrote in a Nov. 22 letter to chairmen and ranking members of House and Senate finance committees. “When you see this list, you should view it skeptically, because CMS will have committed a grave error that risks steering patients away from reputable hospices that may be on the list and toward providers that — because they may not have been surveyed at all — could be low-quality or completely fraudulent.”

The Alliance applauds Gerald’s Law passing through Congress National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance; formerly NAHC and NHPCO); Press Release; 11/19/24 The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) celebrates the historic passage of H.R. 8371, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act in the U.S. House of Representatives last night with a bipartisan vote of 389-9. This landmark legislation includes Section 301, Gerald’s Law, which addresses a critical gap in benefits impacting seriously-ill veterans and their families receiving hospice care. The story of Gerald “Jerry” Elliott, a U.S. Army veteran, underscores the importance of this legislative achievement. Diagnosed with cancer, Jerry was admitted to his local Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in 2019 before transitioning to VA hospice care at home to be surrounded by his family. After his passing, his family discovered they were ineligible for full burial and funeral financial support because Jerry died outside of a VA facility.

National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, and American Cancer Society unveil Advanced Cancer Guide to Support Patients & Families Facing Terminal Cancer Cision - PR Newswire, Washington, DC; 11/13/24 Today, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for nonprofit serious illness care providers, proudly introduces the Advanced Cancer Care Patient & Caregiver Guide, developed in collaboration with the American Cancer Society. This essential resource is designed to assist individuals living with cancer and their caregivers by providing critical information that enables them to receive care in the comfort of their own homes. ... This comprehensive guide aims to minimize hospital and emergency room visits, easing stress for patients, families, and medical facilities alike. Drawing on the expertise of over 100 serious illness care providers and the American Cancer Society, it delivers practical, reliable support for those navigating cancer care at home. Editor's note: The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is a sponsor for our newsletter.

National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation celebrates National Hospice and Palliative Care Month National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI); 10/31/24 In honor of National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, NPHI also shines a spotlight on the true Care Heroes—the dedicated professionals and volunteers who provide compassionate care to those facing terminal or serious illnesses. Their dedication to ensuring comfort, dignity, and quality of life is the foundation of hospice and palliative care. These Care Heroes make a profound impact on the lives of patients and their families, offering essential support during some of life’s most challenging moments. “We celebrate and recognize the invaluable contributions of these Care Heroes—the extraordinary individuals who are delivering exceptional quality care each and every day,” stated Tom Koutsoumpas, CEO. “We invite everyone to join us in sharing their positive experiences of working, volunteering, or caring for those at the end of life.” “This November is a time to recognize the essential role of hospice and palliative care providers in our communities,” stated Carole Fisher, president. “We invite everyone to join us in spreading the word about the impact of these services and in celebrating the dedicated professionals who provide this critical care. To participate in National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, NPHI encourages everyone to join the conversation online using the hashtags #CareHeroes, #HAPCM, #HospiceCare, and #PalliativeCare. You can also explore our Public Outreach Toolkit for more guidance.

National Care at Home Month 2024: Celebrating Care at Home in November National Alliance for Care at Home (formerly NAHC and NHPCO); 10/31/24 National Care at Home Month celebrates and supports paid and unpaid caregivers and builds on the existing work of National Family Caregivers Month. Customizable templates are available now. ... The National Alliance for Care at Home brings together two legacy organizations – the National Association for Home Care & Hospice and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization – representing, advocating for, educating, and connecting providers of care in the home for millions of disabled, elderly, and dying Americans who depend on that care. ... To represent this strength in unity, the Alliance is introducing National Care at Home Month, an annual observance recognized each November to inspire outreach to communities, media, and policymakers, recognize the valuable contributions of provider staff and volunteers, and continue building awareness of the home care continuum. To this end, we are paying special attention to different types of care at different points throughout November.

LeadingAge: Diverting patients from SNF to home health does more harm than good McKnights Home Care; by Adam Healy; 10/28/24 Mounting evidence suggests that Medicare Advantage plans are directing beneficiaries to home health when they should receive skilled nursing facility care, which is negatively affecting providers’ care quality, according to LeadingAge. The Senate Committee Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations recently reported that MA plans may be diverting patients in need of SNF care to home health as a means of saving money. In an Oct. 25 letter, LeadingAge said this practice damages care quality and patient health outcomes, and asked the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to investigate the issue further. 

Dombi scholarship established HomeCare, Tampa, FL; 10/21/24The National Alliance for Care at Home and its legacy organization have established a scholarship fund in honor of retiring National Association for Homecare and Hospice (NAHC) President Bill Dombi, leaders announced Monday at the organization’s transitional conference in Tampa, Florida. ... The William A. Dombi Scholarship Fund at the University of Connecticut, Dombi’s alma mater, topped its initial fundraising goal of $50,000 and was on the way to $100,00, said Marcylle Combs, a NAHC board member who organized the gift. NAHC and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) merged this year to create the new Alliance, ... The scholarship announcement followed a moving video send-off to Dombi, who has been with NAHC since 1987, when he came aboard as lead counsel and helmed the landmark lawsuit that reformed the Medicare home health services benefit. (Read his retirement interview with HomeCare here.)

NHPCO hosts final Annual Leadership Conference, welcomes evolution to National Alliance for Care at Home NHPOC / National Alliance for Care at Home; by Elyssa Katz; 9/20/24 The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) hosted its annual leadership conference (ALC2024) in Denver, Colorado September 14–18, 2024. This conference is the final conference that legacy NHPCO is hosting as it joins with the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) to become the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance). NAHC will host its final conference on October 20-24, 2024, in Tampa, Florida.  Over 1,000 attendees and exhibitors joined for the in-person program which included action-packed days of keynotes, concurrent education sessions, networking opportunities, award presentations, and celebrations. ... Thanks to the generous support of attendees [at Tuesday evening's Gala], the National Hospice Foundation, NHPCO’s fundraising affiliate, raised over $200,000 throughout the evening. All funds will support the Lighthouse of Hope fund to help fulfill patients’ last wishes. ... As NHPCO celebrates the lasting impact its member have had since 1978 and looks ahead to the Alliance, ALC2024 also served as an opportunity to recognize, celebrate, and honor the many leaders from across the nation who played critical roles in shaping the hospice and palliative care community.