Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske is joined by Dina Yankelewitz, CEO of Vitalis Care, a technology company that is harnessing AI technology to reduce staff burden and allow more time for patient care. Dina shares her vision and...more
In an audit, election statement deficiencies can be costly. Auditors deny all claims covered by the problematic election statement, and those costs can multiply if more than one patient was affected. In this episode, Husch...more
On May 12, 2025, the Head of the Criminal Division for the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum outlining its enforcement priorities. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Jonathan Porter break down...more
Hospice audits can have profound financial implications, particularly when the auditors use statistical extrapolation to identify an overpayment amount. The use of extrapolation runs across auditor types, including UPICs and...more
Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske is joined by colleague Kathleen Snyder, who has extensive experience in digital health and has been busy advising health care providers on how to safely implement artificial intelligence (AI)...more
For hospices, unprecedented competition, enhanced oversight, and looming payment reform create business obstacles or growth opportunities, depending on your outlook. Your growth strategy shouldn’t be the same as your...more
There has been a lot of buzz around psychedelics, and particularly their potential usefulness in treating existential suffering at the end of life. Husch Blackwell was the first law firm in the country to establish a...more
Hospices that have gone through audits are familiar with certain recurring reasons why auditors deny claims. Two common reasons are the lack of support for a six-month prognosis and the insufficiency of the physician...more
CMS recently expanded its Provisional Period of Enhanced Oversight, or PPEO, in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas, and its enforcement activities nationwide appear more aggressive. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg...more
It’s our first podcast of 2025 and we wanted to start the year out with some reflections. Join Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Bryan Nowicki as they each share their biggest surprises and victories of 2024 and what is on...more
The United States Supreme Court recently overruled decades-old precedent that favored an administrative agency’s interpretation of ambiguous statutes. This seismic shift in the role of the judiciary will affect every...more
Hospices that have been audited have to decide how to address any alleged overpayment identified by the auditor, whether through a voluntary repayment, recoupment, or applying for an extended repayment schedule. CMS recently...more
In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske is joined by long-time hospice friend and industry guru Greg Grabowski. They turned the microphone on their usually private (but always lively) discussions on what’s going on in...more
UPIC activity is picking up, and the UPICs are reviving some old tactics. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Bryan Nowicki continue the discussion on these trends which include extrapolation, Medicaid nursing...more
UPIC activity is picking up, and the UPICs are reviving some old tactics. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Bryan Nowicki discuss these trends which include extrapolation, Medicaid nursing home room and...more
A strong and engaged Chief Medical Officer (CMO) may be a hospice CEO’s most important asset. But what does a successful CEO/CMO relationship look like and how must it evolve to meet today’s challenges? In this episode we get...more
Until recently, deactivation of a hospice’s Medicare provider number seemed like an action reserved for egregious conduct. But with law changes and an enhanced focus on enrollment, good hospices have found themselves facing a...more
It’s that time of year again when HIS and CAHPS non-compliance letters are sent out. While it can be an uphill battle, all may not be lost if you receive a notice of non-compliance. Join Husch Blackwell's Meg Pekarske as she...more
It’s never a dull moment when you are a labor and employment lawyer these days! Beyond the steady rise in union activity (a topic of a prior podcast), the administration has issued two rules that are garnering much attention,...more
Compliance gets a dust off with the new General Compliance Program Guidance released by the federal Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in November 2023. While there is a lot to digest, Husch Blackwell’s Josi Wergin and...more
As member substitutions become an increasingly common method of affiliation for nonprofit hospices, hospices may encounter various opportunities for affiliation. Join Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Adam Royal as they...more
In this episode, Meg Pekarske is joined by Jody Rudman, the leader of Husch Blackwell’s White Collar, Internal Investigations & Compliance group, where they explore the enforcement and privacy issues surrounding artificial...more
Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) have played a relatively limited role in the hospice space, often overshadowed by UPICs, SMRCs, and Center for Program Integrity audits. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and...more
Hospice Targeted Probe and Educate reviews (TPEs) continue to be initiated all over the country. That means it’s time to check in with Husch Blackwell’s Hospice team on the latest developments. In this episode, Meg Pekarske...more
It came as a surprise to our team when we learned that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was ending the hospice component of Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) on December 31, 2024. Upon learning this, Husch...more