National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation

07/30/2026

As we head into National Wellness Month, our free resources are here to make sure caregivers and families have the tools they need.

NPHI has a wide variety of Printable Care Sheets that cover some of the most common symptoms and challenges faced by patients with serious illness, giving caregivers and families practical, easy-to-follow guidance right at their fingertips.

Each sheet offers clear, actionable guidance on some of the most common challenges patients and caregivers face.

The sheets available for download range from:

✅ Pain Relief
✅ Mobility Techniques
✅ Dealing with Emotional Distress
✅ Getting Good Food & Nutrition
✅ Facing Breathing Difficulties
✅ Preventing Falls & Injuries
✅ Dealing with Fatigue
✅ Protecting the Skin ..and more.

Wellness looks different for every person, but having the right tools makes all the difference. Download your free care sheets here: https://www.nphihealth.org/resources/

07/28/2026

Talking to your child about a serious illness is one of the hardest conversations a parent can face — but children often understand more than we think.

NPHI's Advanced Pediatric Care™ Patient & Caregiver Resource Guide was created to help families navigate exactly these moments.

One of the sections walks you through how to communicate with your child about their illness, including:

✅ How to start the conversation with simple, honest language
✅ Ways to let your child take the lead on when and how to talk about it
✅ Tips for shared decision-making that give your child a sense of control and purpose
✅ How to respond to their feelings with openness and comfort
✅ Guidance on adjusting conversations based on your child's age and emotional readiness
✅ When to lean on your hospice care team or social worker for support

Access the free guide here: https://www.nphihealth.org/pediatric/

07/27/2026

Hospice and palliative care patients are not explicitly exempt from CMS's newly finalized Medicaid community engagement requirements; and NPHI recently called on CMS to change that.

Without clear implementation guidance, seriously ill patients could face unnecessary administrative burdens or disruptions in coverage at the most vulnerable time in their lives.

Read this recent Hospice News article which covers our correspondence with CMS:

Hospice and palliative care patients are not explicitly exempt from recently finalized Medicaid work requirements from the U.S. Centers for

07/23/2026

NPHI is urging CMS and state Medicaid agencies to explicitly exempt people receiving hospice and palliative care from Medicaid community engagement requirements.

In a new comment letter, NPHI warns that without clear implementation guidance, seriously ill patients could face unnecessary administrative burdens or interruptions in coverage. The recommendations focus on protecting access to care while reducing burdens on patients, families, and providers.

"We greatly appreciate CMS's recognition that individuals who are medically unable to meet community engagement requirements should retain access to Medicaid coverage," said Tom Koutsoumpas, Founder and CEO of NPHI. "However, the rule does not provide sufficient guidance on how states should identify and exempt individuals receiving hospice care or individuals with serious illness who are actively receiving palliative care services. We urge CMS and state Medicaid agencies to provide explicit guidance to ensure these medically vulnerable beneficiaries are appropriately exempt from community engagement requirements."

Read the full comment letter:

https://www.nphihealth.org/nphi-urges-cms-and-state-medicaid-agencies-to-exempt-hospice-and-palliative-care-patients-from-medicaid-community-engagement-requirements/

07/22/2026

Today is World Brain Day, a moment to raise awareness about neurological conditions and the millions of individuals and families navigating them every day.

Dementia is one of the most common diagnoses among hospice patients, and the journey it brings, for patients and caregivers alike, is one that requires real, practical support.

NPHI's Dementia Care Resources™ guide was created exactly for that. Designed to support individuals living with advanced dementia and the families caring for them, it offers compassionate, practical guidance on navigating care, managing symptoms, and maintaining safety and dignity at home.

Explore the resources here: https://www.nphihealth.org/dementia/

Dementia Care Resources™ A resource guide for patients and their caregivers/family members Download Guide About Our Dementia Care Resources™ guide is designed to support individuals living with advanced dementia, along with their caregivers and families. It offers practical tools and compassiona...

07/21/2026

We are thrilled to welcome two outstanding organizations to the NPHI community!

Hope Hospice, serving the New Braunfels and Texas Hill Country region, has built its mission around the belief that hospice is about living, providing exceptional, compassionate care that keeps quality of life at the center of everything they do.

Hospice of Southern Illinois, INC., Southern Illinois' premiere local hospice provider, they bring a deeply rooted, multidisciplinary approach to end-of-life care, offering patients and families comprehensive support through nursing, grief services, volunteer programs, and more.

Welcome to the NPHI community!

07/20/2026

When a child is living with a serious illness, support goes beyond medical care.

NPHI’s new Advanced Pediatric Care™ Patient & Caregiver Resource Guide helps families navigate emotional support, care planning, quality of life, communication, and day-to-day caregiving needs.

Created with input from pediatric care experts and NPHI member organizations, this free public resource is available now.

Download the guide: https://www.nphihealth.org/pediatric/

07/17/2026

Members, the time to register for NPHI's Washington Leadership Conference is now!

Join us this September for two days of national conversations, key insights from healthcare leaders, policymakers, and CMS officials — and a dedicated Capitol Hill Day on September 30th where you'll meet directly with congressional offices to advocate for the future of nonprofit hospice and advanced illness care.

Your voice matters. Come use it where it counts.

Register now: https://www.nphihealth.org/events/wlc26/

07/16/2026

Members,

There's still time to secure your spot in NPHI's LIVE Care Management Certificate Program, taking place virtually on August 3 and 4.

Designed for interdisciplinary hospice and palliative care teams, this two-day program equips professionals with practical skills, strategies, and a shared foundation of best practices to deliver high-quality, person-centered care for hospice and high-needs populations.

Don't just take our word for it. Hear from Kaytie Brownstein MSN, AGACNP-BC, ACHPN, Nurse Practitioner at Samaritan, on what she thought of the program after her review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5z7o30o_lg

Reserve your spot today: https://www.eventzilla.net/e/care-management-certificate-program-2138672826

07/15/2026

CMS's proposed 2027 home health rule takes a meaningful step forward for palliative care access — clarifying that home health providers can use certain billing codes to provide community-based palliative care to eligible patients.

NPHI welcomes efforts to improve access to palliative care services. Here's what our Founder & CEO, Tom Koutsoumpas said to Hospice News:

"We are pleased to see CMS recognize the value of palliative care and the important role it plays in improving quality of life for people living with serious illness both before hospice election and during it. NPHI has long advocated for greater access to, and sustainable payment for, palliative care services much earlier and throughout the course of serious illness, and we welcome CMS's openness to advancing this work as an important step toward ensuring access for patients and families."

Read more;

While recent actions by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) could incrementally move the needle on palliative care access, they