Senate Democrats Outline Framework for First New Medicare Benefit in Two Decades
WASHINGTON — Seventeen U.S. senators, led by Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), released a “Dear Colleague” letter on May 20, 2026, calling for a new Medicare benefit that would cover home care for seniors and people with disabilities — a change that would mark the program’s most significant expansion since the creation […]
Hospices ‘Grow Smartly’ to Strengthen Staff Retention
Hospice providers across the country are tying growth decisions directly to workforce capacity, prioritizing deliberate staffing investment over rapid census expansion as a strategy to reduce chronic turnover and improve care continuity for patients at the end of life, Hospice News reported May 27. The “grow smartly” approach reflects a broadening shift in industry thinking: […]
CMS Freezes New Home Health, Hospice Medicare Enrollments, Raising Discharge Concerns
WASHINGTON — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on May 13 announced a six-month nationwide moratorium on new Medicare enrollment for home health agencies and hospices, citing widespread fraud in both sectors. Healthcare organizations warn the freeze could hinder hospital discharge planning, particularly in rural and underserved communities already facing limited post-acute care options. […]
Senate Democrats Outline Medicare Home Care Guarantee Plan, Seek First New Benefit in Two Decades
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Democrats released a policy roadmap on May 20, 2026, calling for a “home care guarantee for people with Medicare” — a proposal that would represent the federal program’s first new benefit since the creation of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage more than 20 years ago. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member […]
Cotiviti VP: Patients Need Education to Combat Hospice Fraud
As federal enforcement suspends hundreds of hospice providers and California’s attorney general files charges, Cotiviti VP Erin Rutzler says Medicare beneficiaries remain one of the most underprotected lines of defense against hospice fraud.
Proposed Community-Based Palliative Care Model Aims to Expand Access to Care
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan coalition of U.S. senators and national healthcare advocacy organizations is advancing a proposed community-based palliative care model that would bring symptom management and care coordination services to Medicare beneficiaries earlier in their illness — and more consistently at home. The effort centers on Senate Bill 1935, the Expanding Access to Palliative […]
The Hidden Epidemic of Caregiver Burnout: When the ‘Strong Friend’ Starts to Break
Caregiver burnout is reaching epidemic proportions, with 78% of family caregivers reporting burnout. Mental health advocates are sounding the alarm about the “strong friend” — caregivers who appear unbreakable but are silently suffering.
Stop Buying a Hospital Bed Without Measuring Your Doorways — Do This Instead
Before you order a home hospital bed, measure these three things first — most families skip two of them and regret it on delivery day.
Manual Lifting vs Electric Bed Controls for Caregiving Mornings
Manual lifting is the leading cause of caregiver back injuries. Here’s what to do differently every morning — and why electric bed controls change everything.
Home Care Recipient Growth Outpaces Providers, New Chartbook Finds
The number of Medicaid home care recipients has grown significantly faster than the supply of providers available to serve them — a widening gap now threatening access to care for millions of Americans, according to a new national report. The National Alliance for Care at Home and the Research Institute for Home Care released the […]