Bill to Re-Allocate Federal Hospice Dollars Moving Forward in Congress

In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! A new legislative package winding its way through Congress could re-allocate hospice funds to other programs. Lawmakers incorporated language from proposed amendments to the Social Security Act into a six-bill […]

Frontline Hospice Staff Need to Understand New CMS Survey Methods

In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! Ensuring staff are educated around revisions to hospice survey processes will be key to navigating ongoing regulatory changes in the industry. Revisions to hospice surveys have been in the pipeline […]

CMS to Sunset Hospice VBID in 2024

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will end the hospice component of the value-based insurance design model (VBID) as of Dec. 31. Often called the “hospice carve-in,” the program was designed to test coverage of hospice care through Medicare Advantage, in addition to some coverage of palliative care and transitional care. The hospice […]

Stakeholder Support Grows for Hospice Patient Transfusions Legislation

In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! Stakeholders are closely eying the legislative journey of a bill designed to improve access to blood transfusion services among hospice patients. If enacted, it could affect hospices’ ability to […]

Justice Department Launches UnitedHealth Group Antitrust Investigation

In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! The U.S. Justice Department is investigating UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) due to antitrust concerns. During the past two years, the insurance giant has completed a slew of acquisitions […]

Proposed Legislation Would Create Tax Credits for Family Caregivers

In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! A bill to strengthen support for family caregivers is working its way through Congress. If enacted, it would create tax credits to help offset the financial burdens of […]

The Risk of Criminal Charges in Hospice Fraud Cases

Hospice personnel could face criminal charges in instances of suspected fraud, waste and abuse. The regulatory stakes are high for hospice providers when it comes to False Claims Act (FCA) violations, according to Jonathan Porter, partner at the law firm Husch Blackwell. Though the vast majority of FCA cases do not result in criminal charges, […]

Medicare Advantage Transparency Efforts Could Impact Hospices

In case you missed it, Hospice News has launched a new specialty publication for palliative care professionals. You can subscribe to Palliative Care News here: Subscribe today! Recent efforts to increase transparency within Medicare Advantage may impact hospice reimbursement. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a Request for Information (RFI) on ways […]

Blue Sky Hospice Medical Director Convicted of $2.8M Hospice Fraud

A federal jury has convicted Dr. John Thropay, a hospice medical director, on charges of health care fraud in a $2.8 million scheme. Thropay was the medical director of several hospice companies, including Blue Sky Hospice, based in Van Nuys, California. He was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and […]

California Hospice Network: State Falls Short in Curbing Potential Malfeasance

The continued licensing of new hospices in California despite a moratorium is “deeply disturbing and frustrating,” the California Hospice Network (CHN) indicated in a statement. The practice is undermining efforts to combat hospice fraud, which has been rampant in California according to media and state government investigations. In 2021, the state enacted two hospice reform […]