![[UPDATED] CMS Proposes 2.4% Hospice Rate Increase for 2027](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://hospicenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/02/washington-monument-1628558_1280.jpg)
[UPDATED] CMS Proposes 2.4% Hospice Rate Increase for 2027
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a 2.4% payment increase for hospice providers in fiscal year 2027, translating to roughly $785 million in additional funding. The hospice per‑patient cap would rise to $36,210.11, up from $35,361.44 in 2026. Providers that fail to submit required quality data would see a 1.6% reduction, reflecting a four‑point penalty. The rule also introduces a new hospice service and spending variation index (SSVI) and several transparency and oversight measures.
Expert Panel Updating NCHPC’s Palliative Care Clinical Practice Guidelines
The National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care (NCHPC) has appointed a 33‑member expert panel to draft the fifth edition of its Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care. First released in 2004, the guidelines set national, evidence‑based standards across...
How Hospices Can Work with ‘Payviders’
Payviders—insurers that also own provider assets—are reshaping hospice partnerships, with Humana, UnitedHealth and emerging player SCAN Group leading the trend. These entities integrate Medicare Advantage plans, home‑care subsidiaries and primary‑care clinics to create vertically aligned networks. Hospices must adapt to...
Canyon Acquires Columbine Poudre Home Care, Bloom at Home
Colorado-based Canyon Home Care & Hospice announced the acquisition of Columbine Poudre Home Care and its affiliate Bloom at Home, extending its service footprint across northern Colorado. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, brings together two culturally aligned...
NPHI Calls for National Moratorium on New Provider Medicare Enrollment
The National Partnership for Healthcare & Hospice Innovation (NPHI) has urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to impose a temporary, nationwide moratorium on new hospice provider enrollments, citing a rise in fraudulent operators. The organization’s letter also...
Homeless Populations in Need of Stronger Hospice Support
Morning Light Inc., an Indiana nonprofit, is tackling the hospice gap for aging homeless individuals by providing free housing alongside end‑of‑life care. In 2023 the organization cared for 51 hospice patients, averaging 58 days per stay, within its 12‑room facility....
New Hospice Leaders Emerge
A wave of senior appointments is reshaping hospice leadership across the United States. Montgomery Hospice named longtime hospice operator Sara McKay as COO, while VITAS Healthcare installed Juan Gomez as VP of Finance after a stint in revenue‑cycle management. Three Oaks Hospice...
3 Potential Policy Options for High-Acuity Palliative Services
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is reviewing three payment pathways—outlier payments, guaranteed add‑on payments, and a case‑mix adjustment—to broaden Medicare hospice coverage of high‑acuity palliative services such as radiation, chemotherapy, dialysis and blood transfusions. These treatments are often withheld...
Frontline Honors Award Winner: Jodi Bigness, Hospice Manager, Partners in Care
Jodi Bigness, hospice manager at Partners in Care, has been named to the Frontline Honors Awards Class of 2025, recognizing her dedication to patient‑centered hospice care. In a recent Hospice News interview, she debunks common misconceptions about hospice, emphasizing comfort,...
Daymark Health Builds Clinical Advisory Board
Daymark Health, a Philadelphia‑based cancer‑care platform, announced the creation of a Clinical Advisory Board to steer its value‑based, full‑risk care strategy. The board brings together leading oncologists, health‑policy experts, patient advocates and former government officials, including Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel and...
Examining Clinical, Public Perceptions of Hospice, Palliative Care
Recent research highlights three critical fronts in hospice and palliative care: a Community Hospice and Palliative Medicine (CHPM) fellowship at the University of Colorado is boosting mid‑career physicians' skills and confidence to address national workforce shortages; the Canadian PEACH program...
Two Louisiana Bills Would Bolster Hospice, Health Care Oversight
Louisiana lawmakers are advancing two bills aimed at tightening health‑care oversight. Senate Bill 273 would require hospice facilities to produce clearer care plans, improve provider‑family communication, and document patient‑care decisions more thoroughly. House Bill 554 seeks to double civil monetary...
Introducing Inside Hospice With Jim Parker
Senior editor Jim Parker has launched Inside Hospice, a Substack platform that delivers in‑depth analysis of hospice industry trends, personal narratives, and behind‑the‑scenes insights. While Hospice News remains a traditional journalistic outlet, Inside Hospice offers longer‑form commentary and direct engagement...
Elevate Podcast: Dr. Brian Haas, National Medical Director, Ascend Hospice, and Creator, Hospice Intelligence
In the latest Elevate Podcast, Hospice News interviews Dr. Brian Haas, national medical director of Ascend Hospice and CEO of Wellspring Healthcare. Haas explains how artificial intelligence can both help and hinder clinical documentation in hospice and palliative care. He...
Hospice CARE Act Reintroduced
Rep. Linda T. Sánchez and Sen. Mark Warner have re‑introduced the Hospice CARE Act, aiming to modernize the Medicare hospice benefit while tightening program integrity. The legislation proposes a moratorium on new hospice enrollment, enhanced transparency of ownership, and higher...
Hospices’ Challenging 2026 Outlook
Hospice providers face a turbulent 2026 outlook as regulatory scrutiny intensifies, staffing shortages deepen, and demand for end‑of‑life care surges. CMS has placed Georgia, Ohio, Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas under enhanced oversight to combat fraud, casting a shadow over...
CMS Implements Enhanced Oversight for MAC MBI Lookup Tools
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is tightening oversight of Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) MBI lookup tools to combat hospice fraud. The agency will now match MBI searches against submitted claims using National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) and may...
Uncovering Goal-Concordant Hospice Care Delivery Trends
Recent studies reveal that while hospice and palliative services are increasingly aligning with patient goals, significant gaps remain, especially among advanced‑cancer patients who often receive life‑extending treatment despite preferring comfort care. Only 15% of cancer patients with comfort preferences receive...
Future Leader: Augie Luptak, Vice President of Strategy & Operations, St. Croix Hospice
Augie Luptak, Vice President of Strategy & Operations at St. Croix Hospice, has been honored as a 2025 Future Leader by Hospice News. The award recognizes high‑performing professionals under 40 who demonstrate vision, advocacy for seniors, and operational excellence. In...
Clinical Decision Support an Advancing Frontier for Palliative AI
Artificial intelligence is moving beyond paperwork in palliative care to assist clinical decision making. A 2025 market survey shows 53% of providers use AI for documentation, while 19% employ predictive alerts. PalliCare’s integration of athenaOne’s Patient Summary feature aggregates ambient...
How Hospices Can Better Serve Cardiac Patients
Hospice utilization for cardiovascular disease patients remains low, with cardiac cases representing just 12.7% of hospice admissions in 2024. Dr. Heather Veeder of VITAS Healthcare cites prognostic uncertainty and delayed goals‑of‑care conversations as primary reasons patients enter hospice later than...
What the BrightSpring-Setiva Deal Means for Large Health Care Transactions
BrightSpring Health Services agreed to sell its ResCare Community Living unit to Sevita for $835 million in cash, but the Federal Trade Commission initially blocked the transaction on antitrust grounds. The FTC later cleared the deal after BrightSpring and Sevita consented...
Frontline Honors Award Winner: Amy Shen, On-Call Registered Nurse (RN), MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care
MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care’s on‑call RN Amy Shen has been named a 2025 Frontline Honors Award winner by Hospice News. The award, driven by peer nominations, celebrates frontline workers who deliver exceptional patient experiences and champion their industry. Shen...
Hospice Executive Director Cathy Wozniak: Providers Must Remain Vigilant
Cathy Wozniak retired after more than three decades leading hospice organizations, most recently as executive director of Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard. She guided the agency through Medicare certification, expanded pediatric grief counseling, and maintained a 120‑day average...
VNA of Texas to Take Over Operations of Faith Presbyterian Hospice
The Visiting Nurse Association of Texas (VNA) has completed an asset purchase that transfers Faith Presbyterian Hospice’s patients and most staff into VNA’s network. The acquisition makes VNA the largest nonprofit hospice provider in the Dallas‑Fort Worth region, expanding its...
Docu-Series Goes ‘Behind-the-Curtain’ of Hospice Work
The Nebraska Health Care Foundation has funded a new documentary series that follows hospice clinicians across seven care settings in Nebraska, aiming to demystify hospice, palliative and long‑term care. By showcasing real‑world stories, the series seeks to attract and retain...
Residential Home Health and Hospice Acquires Covenant
Residential Home Health and Hospice announced the acquisition of Covenant Home Health in Pennsylvania for an undisclosed sum. The deal adds Residential’s footprint to two new counties and deepens its presence in seven existing ones, expanding its regional network. Residential,...
New Circle of Life Hospice House Taking Flight
The Circle of Life Hospice House, a privately‑owned adult family home in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, will open in spring 2026 with four patient beds. Founder Sara Rogers, a former hospice care coordinator with 25 years of social‑work experience, created the...
New Day Healthcare Taps Interim CEO
New Day Healthcare appointed co‑founder and COO Kathy Poland as interim CEO following the death of founder G. Scott Herman. Poland brings decades of home‑based care leadership to guide the organization through a period of transition. New Day, owned by...
Oregon Passes Bill to Combat Hospice Fraud
Oregon Senate Bill 1575 aims to stop hospice fraud by barring operators with prior misconduct from opening in the state. The bill imposes a temporary moratorium on new hospice licenses while licensing rules are revised. It requires the Oregon Health...
Heart to Heart Hospice Launches Two Texas De Novos
Heart to Heart Hospice announced the opening of two de novo locations in Huntsville and Hemphill, Texas, extending its footprint to nine additional counties. The expansion brings the provider’s total network to 67 sites across Indiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas....
Pioneering Replicable Pediatric Respite Care Models
Pediatric respite care, vital for families of seriously ill children, has long faced limited reimbursement and unclear licensing. Over the past four years, the number of programs grew from 23 to 48, with 25 new or developing sites across 28...
Liberty Home Care & Hospice to Acquire ECU Health’s Home-Based Care Business
Liberty Home Care & Hospice announced it will acquire ECU Health’s home‑based care division, encompassing four home health offices, three hospice locations and a hospice house in eastern North Carolina. Financial terms remain undisclosed, and the transaction awaits approval from...
CMS Plans Advance Care Planning Quality Measure
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed a new advance care planning (ACP) quality measure, MUC202-020, that would tie reimbursement to documented end‑of‑life conversations for patients 18 and older. The measure would apply to hospitals, home health...
Enhabit Reaches ‘Pivotal’ Growth Inflection Point
Enhabit Inc. reported a strong fourth‑quarter 2025, posting adjusted EBITDA of $28 million—a 11.6% year‑over‑year increase—and net service revenue of $270.4 million. Hospice revenue climbed 10% to $63.6 million while home‑health revenue rose 3.2% to $206.8 million, driven by higher admissions and average daily...
Empassion CEO: Palliative Care Significantly Impacts Payer Star Ratings
Empassion Health’s CEO Robin Hefferman says palliative‑care visits are excluded from CMS star‑rating calculations, a practice that can lift Medicare Advantage plans’ scores and protect hundreds of millions of dollars in payments. He explains that while exclusion improves ratings, effective...
New C-Suite Hospice, Palliative Care Executives Step Forward
Hospice and palliative‑care providers announced several C‑suite moves, including Mettle Health’s new Chief Growth Officer, Camille Borgo, to broaden service reach. Legacy Hospice named Elaine Ziegler as CEO after Clark Blair’s departure, while Island Hospice appointed Patricia Pancner as its new chief executive....
National Alliance: DOE Proposed Rule Would Exacerbate Hospice Workforce Shortages
The U.S. Department of Education has proposed reclassifying post‑baccalaureate nursing degrees as graduate degrees, slashing the borrowing cap for health‑care students from $200,000 to $100,000 and imposing a $20,500 annual aid limit. The rule also narrows the definition of "professional...
Senate Bill Would Extend Burial Benefits for Veterans Who Receive Hospice Care
Senators John Boozman (R‑AZ) and Gary Peters (D‑MI) have introduced a bipartisan bill to extend Veterans Affairs burial benefits to veterans who die in hospice or other non‑VA health settings. The legislation builds on the 2023 Dole Act expansion, which...
HAP Foundation, Northwestern University Launch Palliative, Hospice Care Educational Initiative
The HAP Foundation and Northwestern University’s EPEC program have launched a 12‑month clinical training initiative aimed at Illinois‑based hospice and palliative care providers serving rural communities. Beginning in April, the curriculum combines monthly virtual video sessions with in‑person kickoff and...
Tuesday Health Expands Footprint to Ohio With Buckeye Health Plan Partnership
Tuesday Health has partnered with Buckeye Health Plan to extend its palliative‑care model across Ohio, reaching the plan’s 400,000 Medicaid, Medicare and Marketplace members. The collaboration delivers an interdisciplinary team—including nurses, social workers, NPs and physicians—through in‑person, hybrid and virtual...
VITAS Takes a Punch in Q4 2025, Expects Brighter 2026
VITAS Healthcare, a Chemed Corp subsidiary, saw Q4 2025 revenue pressured by a Medicare payment‑cap liability that spiked to $6.1 million, largely in Florida. To offset the cap, the hospice shifted toward hospital‑based short‑stay referrals, which boosted patient volume but lowered...
Housecall Providers to Affiliate With Chapters Health System
Oregon‑based Housecall Providers has signed a definitive agreement to affiliate with Chapters Health System, extending the nonprofit’s footprint in the Pacific Northwest. The transaction is slated to close in late spring or early summer 2026, subject to regulatory clearance. The...
Uplift Hospice Purchases Autumn View in Georgia
Uplift Hospice has acquired Georgia‑based Autumn View Hospice, bringing its average daily census to over 650 patients across Arizona, Nevada, Texas and now Georgia. The deal, facilitated by Agenda Health, adds a strong regional player with a solid reputation and...
Addus Re-Ignites Hospice Acquisition Engine
Addus Homecare reported a 33.3% year‑over‑year rise in adjusted EBITDA to $50.3 million in Q4 2025, driven by a 25.6% jump in total service revenue to $373.1 million. Hospice services generated roughly $70 million, representing 18.8% of quarterly revenue, with daily census climbing...
Future Leader: Carrie Hyde, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Palliative Care, Gentiva
Carrie Hyde, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Palliative Care at Gentiva, has been named a 2025 Future Leader by Hospice News. In a candid interview she explains her draw to hospice and palliative care, the leadership lesson of listening first,...
Value-Based Models, Medicaid Driving Palliative Care Changes in 2026
In 2026, value‑based reimbursement models and expanding Medicaid coverage are reshaping palliative care delivery. State initiatives in California, Hawaii and New Jersey signal growing payer acceptance, while partnerships with ACOs are establishing benchmarks for sustainable financing. Industry leaders note a...
CMS Renews AHCH’s Deemed Status as Hospice Accreditor
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has renewed the Accreditation Commission for Health Care’s (ACH C) deemed status as an accreditor for both hospice providers and critical‑access hospitals. The six‑year renewal, effective through 2031, confirms that ACHC’s standards...
Encompass Health, Enhabit Secure $43.1M Judgement in VitalCaring Case
Encompass Health and Enhabit secured a $43.1 million award covering attorneys’ fees and mitigation damages after a Delaware federal judge ruled that 43% of VitalCaring’s profits and any future sale proceeds must be placed in a trust for the two companies....
‘Magical Outcomes’: The Case for Launching PACE
Programs for All‑Inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE) remain among the most complex value‑based models to launch, demanding multi‑million dollar capital, state contracts, and intricate regulatory compliance. SCAN Group’s myPlace Health, now fully owned after buying out Commonwealth Care Alliance,...
