In brief: CMS modernizes, hospital-at-home scales, fraud dragnet widens

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have announced the members of a Healthcare Advisory Committee to provide advice on improving, strengthening and modernizing health care.

The committee will advise HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz on ways to improve how care is financed and delivered across Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace.

“We received an overwhelming response from highly qualified candidates across the country,” Oz said. “These members bring deep expertise across care delivery, financing, innovation and patient engagement. Their insights will help us advance higher-quality care, reduce administrative burden and strengthen the sustainability of our programs, while supporting efforts to transform our healthcare system and restore a stronger focus on patients.”

HHS and CMS selected members through a competitive review process that drew more than 400 nominations nationwide. Members will serve two-year terms and will meet regularly throughout the year, with their first meeting set to take place later this year.

The members are:

• Robert Bessler, MD
• Kimberly Brandt, JD (ex officio)
• Sebastian Caliri
• Stephanie Carlton (ex officio)
• David Carmouche, MD
• Elizabeth M. Fago
• Clive K. Fields, MD
• William J. Gassen, JD
• Jenni Gudapati, PhD
• Valerie D. Huhn
• Dennis Laraway
• Dan Liljenquist, JD
• Andrew Lynch, PhD
• Ursel J. McElroy
• Kyu Rhee, MD
• Tony Robbins
• Russ Thomas, JD
• Linda Thomas-Hemak, MD

Over its term, the committee will focus on:

• Developing actionable policy solutions to prevent and better manage chronic disease;
• Advancing accountability for safety and outcomes while reducing unnecessary administrative burden;
• Expanding the use of real-time data to support a higher quality of care, speed up claims processing and improve quality measurement;
• Enhancing care for vulnerable populations, including those served by Medicaid; and
• Strengthening Medicare Advantage sustainability, including modernizing risk adjustment and quality measurement.

Current Health taps Cardinal Health to scale hospital-at-home

BOSTON and DUBLIN, Ohio – Current Health has tapped Cardinal Health’s Velocare for last-mile fulfillment, installation and retrieval of in-home clinical monitoring kits, streamlining patient onboarding for hospital-at-home programs, while reducing strains on clinical teams.

As part of this effort, Current Health and Velocare will integrate their platforms to streamline patient setup and reduce duplicate data entry. Care teams will gain real-time visibility into supplies and equipment delivery within existing workflows while Current Health’s 24/7 nursing team delivers continuous monitoring, outreach and timely care escalation.

“Acute care at home programs only scale when the clinical and operational pieces work together seamlessly,” said Christopher McGhee, CEO of Current Health. “As the leading clinical platform for advanced therapies and hospital-level care at home, we see the last mile as one of the biggest constraints on growth. Working with Velocare gives health systems a simpler patient onboarding workflow, supporting more enrollments and higher patient census capacity.”

Since its launch in 2022, Velocare has supported dozens of health systems and hospitals across major U.S. metropolitan areas, completing tens of thousands of home deliveries from coast-to-coast.

The two companies say this collaboration provides a clear solution for health systems looking to scale their programs while removing these burdens through a one-stop-shop approach.

“Since Velocare’s inception, we’ve been proud to play a leading role in helping health systems address workforce shortages, capacity constraints, rising costs and patient preference for in‑home recovery through our last-mile supply chain solution,” said Alex Hoopes, who leads Cardinal Health Velocare as general manager. “Working with platforms like Current Health helps health systems launch and scale acute care-at-home programs more efficiently. Companies advancing these models have an opportunity to work together in ways that simplify the work for health system teams, and our investments are designed to help them move through the early hurdles and grow these programs with confidence.”

Last year, Current Health became an independent business again under McGhee’s leadership, following its acquisition by Best Buy in 2021.

• Related: Cardinal Health on health care: ‘Everything has changed.’

Department of Treasury wants to pay for information on fraud

The agency proposes awards of 10% to 30% of collected monetary penalties for individuals whose tip leads to a successful enforcement action

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on March 30 issued a proposed rule paving the way to pay whistleblowers for actionable tips on fraud schemes targeting government health care benefit programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

“As promised, Treasury will reward whistleblowers who provide timely, actionable information on fraud, sanctions violations, and other significant illicit finance activity,” said Secretary Scott Bessent. “President Trump has been clear that Americans have a right to know that their tax dollars are not being diverted to fund acts of global terror or to fund luxury cars for fraudsters. At Treasury, we follow the money, and we strongly encourage individuals to come forward with credible tips to help safeguard our financial system.”

The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) outlines:

• procedures for whistleblowers to share information about potential violations in a timely and secure manner, including for submitting an award application;
• eligibility criteria for making awards and the process for adjudicating award applications;
• awards of 10% to 30% of collected monetary penalties for individuals whose tip leads to a successful enforcement action by Treasury or the Department of Justice; and
• protections for whistleblowers who provide information to FinCEN’s whistleblower program.

The Treasury says that, although FinCEN’s whistleblower program is codified by the Anti-Money Laundering Act (2020) and the Anti-Money Laundering Whistleblower Improvement Act (2022) and is currently accepting tips, the regulation proposed today, when finalized, will fully implement these statutes. It encourages whistleblowers to submit information as soon as possible and to provide detailed, specific documentation to support their claims.

FinCEN also recently launched a portal for whistleblowers.

Members of the public should submit comments in response to the NPRM within 60 days of the NPRM’s publication in the Federal Register. Comments responding to this notice will be publicly viewable at http://www.regulations.gov.

Additionally, FinCEN has issued an advisory urging financial institutions to be vigilant about fraud schemes targeting government health care benefit programs. The advisory:

• Provides financial institutions with an overview of how fraudsters, organized crime groups, and increasingly, transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), are targeting government health care benefit programs; and
• Highlights money laundering typologies and red flag indicators to help financial institutions identify and report suspicious activity.

Lifeway Mobility opens first locations in Nebraska, Michigan

Company also opens second location in Missouri

HARTFORD, Conn. – Lifeway Mobility has opened its first location in Nebraska, with initial support from its nearby team in Kansas City.

The location will support homeowners throughout the greater Omaha and Lincoln metro areas and surrounding communities in Nebraska and Iowa.

“Opening our first location in Nebraska is an exciting milestone for Lifeway Mobility,” said Mike French, general manager of Lifeway Mobility Omaha. “We’re proud to bring our services to homeowners throughout the Omaha and Lincoln areas and to support individuals who want to remain safe and independent in their own homes. Our Omaha team looks forward to working with families across the region to provide accessibility solutions that enhance comfort, mobility, and overall quality of life.”

The location will offer stair lifts, wheelchair ramps and lifts, home elevators, ceiling lifts, and bath safety solutions and transfer aids.

Expanding in the Great Lakes region

Lifeway Mobility is also opening its first location in Michigan to serve the greater Detroit area, as well as those in Ann Arbor, Lansing, Dearborn and surrounding areas across southeast Michigan.

The location builds on the company’s presence in the Great Lakes region, with locations in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.

“We’re proud to introduce Lifeway Mobility to the Detroit community and open our first location in the state of Michigan,” said Kevin Prior, Lifeway Detroit senior sales consultant. “Expanding into the Detroit market represents an important step in our mission to help more families create safer, more accessible homes. Our local team is committed to delivering personalized solutions and outstanding customer service to homeowners throughout the region, empowering individuals to live independently and safely in the home they love.”

Expanding in Missouri

Additionally, Lifeway Mobility is opening of a new location in St. Louis, its second location in Missouri. The location will serve residents in the greater St. Louis area and the surrounding areas in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois communities along the Missouri-Illinois border.

The company has served customers in portions of Missouri & Illinois (Kansas City & Chicagoland area) for more than 30 years. Its expansion into the St. Louis area will allow it to provide local coverage and faster service as it expands its footprint to the eastern border of Missouri and the western border of Illinois.

“We’re thrilled to bring Lifeway Mobility to the St. Louis area and begin serving local families with the same high standard of care and customer service that our customers expect nationwide,” said Mike Frye, Lifeway St. Louis senior sales consultant. “This expansion allows us to better support individuals and families throughout the greater St. Louis region, helping them stay safe, comfortable, and independent in their homes. Our team looks forward to making a meaningful difference in the local community and improving accessibility one home at a time.”

New recognition

Lifeway Mobility was recently recognized in USA Today’s Most Trusted Brands of 2026.The list highlights the companies consumers feel most confident doing business with.

Senators urge Trump administration to stop ‘phony crusade’ against fraud

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., in a March 26 letter demanded that President Donald Trump stop what they call his “phony crusade against fraud as a disguise to attack Medicaid programs in U.S.”

“Let us be clear: You are not going after the real fraudsters,” the senators said. “Instead, under the guise of ‘program integrity,’ you are cutting off vital funding for services that seniors, people with disabilities, and children rely on to survive and thrive in their communities.”

The Trump administration recently withheld $259 million in Medicaid funds from Minnesota and implemented a six-month moratorium on new Medicare supplier numbers for DMEPOS nationwide.

The senators say these actions undermine the home and community-based services that are a lifeline for seniors, Americans with disabilities and children.

“Without home care, Americans who need long-term services will be forced into nursing homes and institutions – a devastating rollback of civil rights that will ultimately cost taxpayers more,” the senators said. “Furthermore, home care agencies and independent care workers, who already operate on razor-thin margins while following the law, will be forced to shut their doors.”

Joining Widen in leading the letter were Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Joining Merkley as co-signers were Sens. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., and Cory Booker, D-N.J.

Inogen makes three appointments to exec team

BEVERLY, Mass. – Inogen has made three appointments to its executive team in a move the company says will accelerate its next phase of growth. The company has named:

• Jason Richardson as CFO, succeeding Michael Bourque, effective April 6;
• Dominic Hulton as chief marketing officer, effective April 1; and
• Corey Moritz as vice president, U.S. business-to-business sales, who joined on March 9.

Jason Richardson

Richardson joins Inogen from Baxter International Inc., where he most recently served as CFO and vice president of the Healthcare Systems & Technologies segment, a $3 billion publicly reported business. In this role, he was a central figure in Baxter’s integration of Hillrom, driving growth initiatives and improved operating performance. Prior to Baxter’s acquisition of Hillrom, Richardson held a variety of senior finance leadership roles at Hillrom, including overseeing its Respiratory Care franchise, a durable medical equipment (DME) business focused on cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and other respiratory diseases.

“We are pleased to welcome Jason as Inogen’s next chief financial officer,” said Kevin Smith, president and CEO Inogen. “Jason’s deep expertise in finance and operations across the medical device and healthcare industries will be instrumental as we focus on delivering superior respiratory solutions to patients around the world and driving sustainable growth.”

Dominic Hulton

Hulton is a globally experienced commercial leader with more than 20 years of experience driving growth, expanding markets and leading organizational transformation in medical technology. He spent the last 11 years at Insulet Corp., where he served as vice president of international marketing and sales excellence. In that role, he led global product launches, built cross-functional teams and scaled commercial operations.

Corey Moritz

Moritz is a health care executive with more than two decades of experience driving commercial transformation, revenue growth and scalable expansion across medical devices, respiratory care and health services organizations. He has successfully built six sales forces while delivering sustained growth, margin expansion and strong commercial infrastructure. He previously served as chief commercial officer of Rhythm Healthcare, where he had a strong track record of driving significant revenue growth across multiple years.

NorthShore joins baseball broadcasts

GREEN OAKS, Ill. – This Major League Baseball season NorthShore Adult Diapers will appear on radio broadcasts for the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox. The company will also appear on broadcasts for the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. "People of all ages who need adult diapers often feel completely alone," said Adam J. Greenberg, founder and CEO of NorthShore. "Hearing 'adult diapers' spoken naturally and seeing it in everyday settings is one way shame starts to fade." North Shore says the partnerships are part of a broader campaign that also includes national billboards featuring the words ADULT DIAPERS in large print across major U.S. cities. The campaign, the company says, is built around a simple belief: People managing heavy bladder leaks deserve to feel confident, not ashamed.

• Related: NorthShore ‘humbled’ by patient stories.

Data from wearables provide more comprehensive view of COPD, researchers say

ROCHESTER, Minn. – Sleep data captured with a wearable device could help clinicians better tailor care by identifying patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who may need additional support to participate in pulmonary rehabilitation, according to new research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health. In the study, researchers found that using baseline sleep data from a wrist activity monitor, combined with machine learning and traditional clinical indicators, improved the prediction of how consistently patients would participate in a 12-week home pulmonary rehabilitation program. "As a scientist and engineer, I wanted to explore how wearable data could improve the drop-out rates of remote pulmonary rehabilitation programs,” said Stephanie Zawada, Ph.D., M.S., a Mayo Clinic research associate and first author of the study. “By better understanding a patient's day-to-day life, we can make more personalized and potentially more effective care plan recommendations.” Researchers made their calculations after collecting sleep measures for one week to generate a Composite Sleep Health Score before the home-based pulmonary rehabilitation began. At the end of the 12-week program, their analysis showed that including the health score improved prediction of patient engagement over the study period. Researchers say this information can help clinicians better tailor rehabilitation programs and identify patients who may benefit from additional support. It also may inform the design of future remote-care programs, they say. "Adding wearable data provides a more comprehensive view of a patient's daily pattern," says Emma Fortune Ngufor, Ph.D., senior author of the study and a Mayo Clinic researcher in the Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.

AABCP completes post-mastectomy textbook

HOUSTON – The American Association of Breast Care Professionals (AABCP) has completed a textbook dedicated to post-mastectomy fitting and survivorship care. AABCP says it developed “Post-Mastectomy Care: A Definitive Guide,” to address a long-standing gap in professional education for clinicians and certified fitters. It says the textbook combines the clinical knowledge required to support women after mastectomy – integrating anatomy, biomechanics, prosthetic design, garment engineering, compassionate fitting, lymphatic health, rehabilitation principles, cultural concerns and psychosocial care. “Beyond technical instruction, the text emphasizes the human dimension of survivorship – recognizing that post-mastectomy care is a lifetime commitment requiring both clinical precision and compassionate, trauma-informed interaction,” the organization states. “It represents an important step forward in defining the fitter profession and strengthening standards of care for the millions of women worldwide under post-mastectomy care.” The textbook is not yet available – the AABCP says additional information regarding publication details and dates will be announced soon. It also points to an upcoming episode of its Measured Moments podcast for a comprehensive look at the development process for the textbook.

AASM recognizes sleep experts for their contributions

DARIEN, Ill. – The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has selected five individuals for their outstanding contributions to the field of sleep medicine. They will be recognized June 15 during the plenary session of the SLEEP 2026 annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Baltimore. “I am proud to recognize this year’s award recipients for their exceptional contributions to the field of sleep medicine,” said AASM President Dr. Anita V. Shelgikar. “Through their leadership and accomplishments in research, education, advocacy, and clinical care, they embody our shared commitment to advancing sleep and circadian care as an essential part of health care. Their work has meaningful impact for patients today and inspires continued progress in sleep and circadian health for the future.” The 2026 AASM award recipients were nominated by a colleague, recommended by the Awards Advisory Panel, and approved by the board of directors. This year's recipients include:

• Dr. Susan Redline (Harvard/Brigham and Women's) – pioneering epidemiologic research on sleep apnea and health equity.
• Dr. Danny Eckert (Flinders University/Harvard) – internationally recognized for transforming sleep apnea treatment through precision medicine.
• Dr. Douglas Kirsch (Atrium Health/Wake Forest) – a leading educator and past AASM president.
• Dr. Beth Malow (Vanderbilt) – a prominent advocate for evidence-based sleep policy.
• Dr. Robert Stansbury (West Virginia University) – expanding rural access to sleep care.

Established in 1975, the AASM is a medical association that advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM membership includes more than 9,500 physicians, scientists, and other health care professionals who help people who have sleep disorders.