As 2016 starts winding down and the health care industry braces for changes likely to come with the incoming Trump administration, a few last-ditch laws are coming down the pike. We were sure to let our readers know which regulations could impact the home health and hospice industry, for better or for worse.

We also kept readers in the know about one major home health care provider’s strategic partnership in a technology-first approach.

Here in the newsroom, we couldn’t take our eyes off the contestants of the Ms. Senior America pageant and a visual storytelling series about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Most Read

Bill Could Loosen Home Health Assessment Regulations—A new bill could expand who can conduct initial assessments for home health visits in certain cases. The bill, the Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act of 2016, would loosen some restrictions at a time when the industry has seen an influx of new, burdensome regulations.

How Tech Like Amazon’s ‘Alexa’ is Benefiting Bayada—Bayada Home Health Care, one of the top 10 largest home health companies in the United States, recently entered into a multi-year strategic partnership with Chicago-based health care technology firm PreparedHealth. Together, the companies are aiming to keep home health clients out of the hospital and safely aging in their own homes.

House Passes Bill with Telehealth, Home Infusion Provisions—A bill that was passed by the House of Representatives and Senate will have an impact on several areas of the home health and hospice industry. The 21st Century CURES Act is a combination of the original CURES legislation, which was intended to make the FDA drug review process more efficient and a bill on mental health reform that was previously passed by the House.

Pre-Claim Affirmation Rates Rise, But Some Agencies Stay on the Sidelines—There’s more good news coming from the federal agency that enacted a controversial home health care program that left the industry reeling. Affirmation rates for the Pre-Claim Review Demonstration (PCRD) currently underway in Illinois continued to rise in the program’s 17th week, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Around the Web

Life Inside the Alzheimer’s Ward: A Hidden World Revealed—Swedish photographer Maja Daniels spent three years photographing a memory care ward in France. NPR reports on her stunning visual storytelling about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

The One Retirement Issue No One is Talking About—Medical costs are a huge worry among older Americans, but few are willing to talk about the issue, CNBC writes. A new survey reveals the high cost of medical care in retirement, and why older adults should be preparing for the sticker shock.

Visitors to China Nursing Home Soar After Financial Rewards Shame Children Into Seeing Parents—To motivate adult children to visit their elderly parents, one nursing home in China offered vouchers for housing for the most frequent visitors. Since implementing the incentive, visits have skyrocketed.

Amy’s Adds

Women Face 20% Higher Health-Care Costs in Retirement, Survey Finds—Women need to set about 20% more savings than men to cover the costs of retirement, The Wall Street Journal reports on new findings.

Pagenat Glamour for Those Who Have Reached the Age of Elegance—The Ms. Senior America pageant was held this fall, catering to those who have experienced life in all of its joys and sorrows, The New York Times writes.

Written by Amy Baxter