Category: Uncategorized

Home service professionals deliver care where patients are most comfortable, in their homes. While this setting supports patient-centered care, it also presents unique and often unseen safety risks for clinicians and caregivers. Workplace violence is not rare in home-based care, and it is frequently underreported. Research shows that up to 65 percent of home health…

Home health and hospice leaders should be preparing now for what could become the most significant update to the HIPAA Security Rule in more than a decade.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has proposed sweeping changes designed to strengthen cybersecurity protections for electronic protected health information in…

On February 3, 2026, Congress passed and the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 ending the government shutdown. This legislation includes Continuing Resolution (CR) which funds most of the government through September 30, 2026. In addition to funding the government, the legislation includes several provisions important to the care at home community, including the extension of…

As of January 30, 2026, Congress is close to finalizing an agreement to continue funding the government.  However, inking the deal will not happen in time to completely avoid a shutdown.  Therefore, the telehealth flexibilities will end tonight.  It is likely the shutdown will be short-lived, expected to end next week when House members are…

Medical aid in dying is no longer a distant or abstract issue in end of life care.  For hospice leaders across the country, it is an increasingly present reality that influences patient conversations, staff readiness, public perception, and organizational policy.  Even in states where it is not authorized, patients and families hear about it and ask…

For more than forty years, the Medicare Hospice Benefit has stood as one of the most trusted promises our healthcare system offers.  It gives patients and families comfort, dignity, and coordinated support during one of life’s most vulnerable moments.  Today, that promise is once again facing scrutiny as Congress considers reforms to the Medicare Advantage…

In 2001, Ryan Haight, a young man, tragically died from an overdose of prescription medication he obtained online.  His death spurred the 2008 enactment of the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act.  At its core, the act was designed to curb the illegal sale of controlled substances online, requiring practitioners to conduct at least…

CMS has paused survey activity for State Survey Agencies (SAs) during the federal government shutdown. However, Accrediting Organizations (AOs) – including Community Health Accreditation Partners (CHAP), Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), and The Joint Commission (TJC) — are still authorized to conduct deemed status surveys. Because AOs operate independently of federal appropriations, they are…

Did you know that some people have brains filled with amyloid plaques, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, yet never develop dementia? What is more puzzling is that their “tau protein” levels remain normal.  What is the reasoning?  The answer may lie in the Amyloid-Tau disconnect. Alzheimer’s has long been defined by two pathological…

The U.S. government is officially shut down as Congress did not reach agreement on a continued funding bill. The Alliance is offering the following guidance: Telehealth Impacts Telehealth flexibilities for home health and hospice providers expired on September 30, including those applicable to the face-to-face (F2F) encounter. Hospices and home health agencies must ensure that…