The Future of Palliative Care: Who Will Lead, Who Will Pay, and What Comes Next? | Part One

Who will lead community-based palliative care—and how will they pay for care that meets patients’ needs?In Part Two of The Future of Palliative Care: Who Will Lead, Who Will Pay, and What Comes Next?, Chris Comeaux joins CAPC CEO Brynn Bowman to explore palliative care reimbursement, hospice leadership, and the choices shaping serious illness care.Bowman makes a clear distinction: many organizations can deliver palliative care, but the field must lead on quality. New payment opportunities offer reasons for optimism. Turning those opportunities into sustainable care requires stronger operations, adequate contracts, and teams with the right skills.The conversation also examines the overlap between home-based primary care and palliative care. As programs consider broader responsibilities, leaders must weigh patient needs against their capacity to deliver—and resist the pressure to keep doing more with less.In this episode:Define your role in community-based palliative care.Align payment arrangements with the cost of quality care.Strengthen technology, infrastructure, and workforce capabilities.Evaluate opportunities to integrate primary and palliative care.Consider what state initiatives could teach us about a Medicare palliative care benefit.Whether you lead a hospice, nonprofit, health system, or serious illness program, this discussion offers a practical starting point for decisions about growth, investment, and accountability.Join the conversation: What does your organization need most to deliver sustainable palliative care: stronger payment, better infrastructure, or expanded clinical capabilities? Share your perspective in the comments.GuestBrynn Bowman, CEO of the Center to Advance Palliative Care, and Assistant Professor in the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at Mount SinaiHostChris Comeaux, President / CEO of TELEIOS, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipSubscribe to TCN Talks / Anatomy of Leadership and share this episode with your leadership team.Teleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast

What will it take for palliative care to reach every patient who needs it—and who will ultimately pay for that care?In Part One of “The Future of Palliative Care: Who Will Lead, Who Will Pay, and What Comes Next?”, host Chris Comeaux sits down with Brynn Bowman, CEO of the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC), for a forward-looking conversation about the forces reshaping palliative care—and what healthcare leaders need to be watching now.As palliative care principles spread across oncology, home health, Medicare Advantage, health systems, and other serious-illness models, an important question emerges: What actually makes something specialty palliative care? Brynn shares CAPC’s work to establish minimum standards for specialty palliative care programs, helping define expectations around services, staffing, training, quality, and outcomes.  Chris and Brynn also tackle one of the field’s most persistent challenges: reimbursement. Palliative care programs often piece together multiple revenue streams—from Part B billing and ACO or Medicare Advantage contracts to financial support from their parent organizations. CAPC’s Palliative Care Program Inventory seeks to create a clearer picture of where programs exist, how they are funded, and where significant access gaps remain.  The conversation then turns to CMS and the future of payment. Brynn explains why recent activity across hospice, home health, and the physician fee schedule may indicate increased federal attention to how Medicare beneficiaries with serious illness access palliative care—and why leaders should be paying attention to what happens next.  What You’ll Learn• What palliative care access could look like five years from now• Why specialty palliative care remains essential as other care models expand• Why the field needs clearer minimum standards• How palliative care programs are piecing together reimbursement today• Where major rural and community-based access gaps remain• Why training non-specialists and preserving specialty teams must happen together• What recent CMS activity could signal about future palliative care payment• What the proposed home health rule actually means for palliative care  For leaders in hospice, palliative care, serious illness care, healthcare, and value-based care, Part One provides an important look at a field approaching a pivotal moment.And the conversation isn’t over. Don’t miss Part Two as Chris and Brynn continue exploring what comes next for palliative care and the leaders responsible for shaping its future.Guest: Brynn Bowman, CEO of the Center to Advance Palliative Care, and Assistant Professor in the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at Mount SinaiHost: Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of TELEIOS, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipLink to Blog:Teleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast

What if the greatest leadership advantage in the age of AI is something technology can never truly replicate?As artificial intelligence transforms how we work, lead, and communicate, the temptation is to use technology to accomplish more—and move even faster. But what if the real opportunity is to use AI to create more margin for the human work of leadership?In Part Two of “AI Can’t Replace This: The Leadership Advantage That’s More Human Than Ever,” Chris Comeaux continues his conversation with Dr. Andrea Hollingsworth, author of The Compassion Advantage, exploring why self-compassion, resilience, values, hope, and genuine human connection are becoming essential leadership capabilities.Andrea gets personal about her own experience with a relentless inner critic and burnout—and explains why self-compassion isn’t lowering the bar. It’s learning to respond to mistakes and difficult moments with kindness, accountability, and a growth mindset rather than shame and self-punishment. Then the conversation turns directly to AI. Andrea challenges leaders to resist filling every minute technology saves with another task. Instead, she suggests using AI to free cognitive load and create greater capacity for presence, relationships, compassion, and connection. That may be where the true leadership advantage lies.For healthcare, hospice, nonprofit, and business leaders navigating unprecedented change, this conversation offers both practical tools and an important challenge: Don’t let technology help you become more productive at the expense of becoming less human.🎯 Highlights — What You’ll LearnWhy self-compassion is essential to resilient leadership—not a sign of weaknessHow to turn down the inner critic without abandoning accountabilityWhy your core values can steady you during uncertainty and disruptionPractical habits leaders can use when feeling overwhelmedThe power of remembering: “I’m a supporter, not a savior.” Why small acts of kindness can strengthen emotional resilienceHow leaders can inspire hope in an increasingly disconnected worldWhy AI should free your cognitive load instead of adding to itHow technology can create more margin for human connectionWhy compassionate workplace cultures matter for engagement, resilience, innovation, and retention If this conversation challenges how you think about AI, compassion, and the future of leadership, share it with another leader who needs to hear it—and subscribe to TCNtalks and Anatomy of Leadership for more conversations designed to help you grow as a leader and as a human being.▶️ Watch Part Two now, and subscribe.  If you missed Part One, be sure to watch / listen.Podcast Guest:Andrea Hollingsworth, Founder and CEO of Hollingsworth Consulting and author of The Compassion Advantage: How Top Leaders Build More Humanizing Workplaces Our Host:Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of TELEIOS, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipTeleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast

What if the greatest leadership advantage in the age of AI is something artificial intelligence can never truly replicate?As AI becomes smarter, faster, and more embedded in the workplace, Dr. Andrea Hollingsworth believes the qualities that make us distinctly human—compassion, connection, vulnerability, and the ability to care—are becoming more valuable, not less.In Part One of “AI Can’t Replace This: The Leadership Advantage That’s More Human Than Ever,” host Chris Comeaux sits down with Dr. Hollingsworth, founder and CEO of Hollingsworth Consulting and author of The Compassion Advantage: How Top Leaders Build More Humanizing Workplaces. Together, they explore what effective leadership looks like in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. Andrea introduces the powerful concept of “compassionate agility”—leading with genuine care and connection while still having the courage to make difficult decisions, navigate uncertainty, and drive organizational excellence. She also shares a principle every healthcare leader needs to hear: “Care, don’t carry.” Leaders can support their teams through stress, grief, and change without carrying the emotional weight themselves. You’ll also hear an insightful discussion about therapeutic leadership coaching, vulnerability, emotional resilience, and the potential impact of AI on human identity. Rather than asking only what AI can do for us, Andrea challenges leaders to consider a deeper question: Is technology strengthening our capacity to think, create, connect, and solve problems—or slowly replacing the very experiences that help us grow? In This Episode, You’ll Discover:Why compassion could become an even greater leadership advantage in the AI eraWhat compassionate agility looks like in practiceWhy leaders need to “care, don’t carry”How vulnerability can strengthen leadership and organizational cultureWhy personal healing and self-awareness influence how we lead othersHow to use AI to enhance human connection rather than replace itWhy struggle, friction, and problem-solving remain essential to human growthAI can make us more efficient. The bigger leadership question is whether we’ll use it to become more human.▶️ Watch Part One now, and subscribe so you don’t miss Part Two.Podcast Guest:Andrea Hollingsworth, Founder and CEO of Hollingsworth Consulting and author of The Compassion Advantage: How Top Leaders Build More Humanizing Workplaces Our Host:Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of TELEIOS, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipTeleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast

Hospice is changing—and the leaders who prepare now will be positioned to shape what comes next.In Part Two of The Critical Competencies Hospice Leaders Must Build for Value-Based Care Success, host Chris Comeaux continues his conversation with Dr. Jessica Hubbs about what hospice and palliative care organizations need to succeed as healthcare moves toward more integrated, value-based models.What capabilities should hospice organizations build internally—and when should they partner? Dr. Hubbs explores the growing convergence of home-based primary care, palliative care, and hospice, and why a more seamless continuum could give seriously ill patients access to the right services based on need rather than simply a point in time.  The conversation also examines complex care management, Medicare Advantage, dementia and length-of-stay challenges, and how hospice can expand upstream without losing what makes the hospice model so valuable. For leaders preparing their organizations for the next 12–24 months, Dr. Hubbs identifies three essential investments: clinical infrastructure, data, and strategic partnerships.  Highlights — What You’ll LearnPreparing hospice for value-based careBuilding the right strategic partnershipsIntegrating primary, palliative, and hospice careBetter serving complex and high-need patientsExpanding care upstream without losing hospice’s missionUsing data to improve care and outcomesInvesting in clinical capabilities, data, and partnershipsKeeping patients at the center of changeAbove all, this episode brings the conversation back to the mission: doing right by the patient. In a healthcare environment filled with reimbursement pressure, regulatory change, and uncertainty, patient-centered leadership can remain the compass for innovation and better serious illness care. In this episode discover the competencies hospice leaders should be building today to prepare for the future of value-based care.Subscribe to TCNtalks and Anatomy of Leadership for conversations designed to help healthcare and hospice leaders learn, grow, and lead with greater impact.Guest:  Dr. Jessica Hubbs, Internist and the Chief Clinical Officer at Advanced Care Innovations Host: Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of TELEIOS, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipTeleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast

The future of hospice is being rewritten—and the organizations that prepare now may be the ones best positioned to serve patients in a value-based world.Healthcare is rapidly moving beyond traditional fee-for-service toward models focused on outcomes, total cost of care, and coordinated care delivery.  In Part One of The Critical Competencies Hospice Leaders Must Build for Value-Based Care Success, host Chris Comeaux sits down with Dr. Jessica Hubbs, Internist and Chief Clinical Officer at Advanced Care Innovations, to explore what this transformation means for hospice and palliative care leaders. Dr. Hubbs examines emerging models such as LEAD (Long-term Enhanced ACO Design) and why moving care further upstream could create both disruption and significant opportunity for hospice organizations.  The conversation explores how hospice's strengths in advanced care planning, complex conversations, patient goals and values, and interdisciplinary care could become increasingly valuable across the broader serious illness continuum. But succeeding in this new environment will require new capabilities.  Chris and Dr. Hubbs discuss the importance of end-to-end clinical care, complex primary care, care coordination, financial-risk readiness, and collaborative partnerships with ACOs and other risk-bearing organizations—and why the future may be less about competing for the patient and more about building integrated models around them. Episode HighlightsWhy hospice leaders need to understand the shift to value-based careWhat the LEAD model could mean for serious illness careThe opportunity to bring hospice expertise further upstreamCritical clinical capabilities hospice organizations need to developCombining hospice and palliative expertise with home-based primary careWhat ACOs and risk-bearing organizations want from hospice partnersGuest:  Dr. Jessica Hubbs, Internist and the Chief Clinical Officer at Advanced Care Innovations Host: Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of TELEIOS, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipTeleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast

Your culture isn’t defined by what your organization says it values—it’s revealed by the behaviors it allows, rewards, and repeats.In Part Two of Your Culture Isn't What You Say—It's What You Tolerate, host Chris Comeaux continues his conversation with author and leadership expert Tom Foster about what it takes to intentionally build a strong organizational culture.Tom challenges leaders to look beyond KPIs and productivity metrics and examine whether the behaviors being measured actually support the organization’s mission and purpose. Using examples from healthcare and home health, they explore how well-intentioned performance measures can sometimes work against the outcomes leaders truly want. Chris and Tom also discuss practical ways to evaluate culture—including examining behaviors, organizational systems, customs and rituals, and actually going to see the work firsthand. The conversation explores the relationship between leadership, workplace culture, strategy, employee development, organizational behavior, and performance—and why culture and strategy continuously shape one another. One leadership principle captures the heart of the episode:“Reality always wins. The biggest challenge for the leader is simply to get in touch with it.” — Tom FosterIf you're a healthcare leader, hospice professional, nonprofit executive, or business leader, this episode will challenge you to look beyond the culture you intend to create and examine the culture your organization is actually producing.Featuring: Tom Foster, President of Foster Learning Corporation and author of Premeditated Culture: The Consequences of What We Tolerate,Host: Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of TELEIOS, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipTopics: Organizational Culture | Healthcare Leadership | Hospice Leadership | Accountability | Leadership Development | Workplace Culture | Organizational Behavior | Purpose-Driven Leadership | Culture ChangeSubscribe to TCNtalks and Anatomy of Leadership for more conversations on leadership, healthcare, organizational culture, and building high-performing teams.Teleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast

Your culture isn’t what your organization says it values—it’s what your leaders are willing to tolerate.In Part One of Your Culture Isn't What You Say—It's What You Tolerate, host Chris Comeaux sits down with Tom Foster, President of Foster Learning Corporation and author of Premeditated Culture: The Consequences of What We Tolerate, to explore how leaders intentionally—or unintentionally—shape organizational culture.Tom challenges leaders to look beyond mission statements, values on the wall, and aspirational language. Instead, he introduces the Culture Cycle and explains why leaders should start by defining the behaviors they want, then examine what happens when those behaviors collide with the consequences of reality. Because ultimately, the behaviors leaders reinforce, ignore, or allow to continue become the organization's real culture. Chris and Tom also explore why culture often deteriorates through seemingly small lapses in accountability and how pressures facing healthcare and hospice leaders—including workforce shortages, regulation, compliance, productivity demands, reimbursement pressures, and rapid change—can expose the difference between an organization’s stated values and its actual behaviors. In This Episode:Why culture lives in what leaders tolerateThe difference between accidental and intentional cultureTom Foster’s Culture CycleWhy leaders should define behaviors before beliefsHow accountability—or the lack of it—shapes workplace cultureWhy consultants should clarify before they fixHow small leadership omissions can slowly erode cultureHow healthcare pressures test organizational valuesWhat hospice leaders can learn about connecting behaviors with purposeThe question for every leader: Are the behaviors happening inside your organization consistent with the culture you say you want?▶️ Listen to Part One now, and subscribe so you don’t miss Part Two of this important leadership conversation.Featuring: Tom Foster, President of Foster Learning Corporation and author of Premeditated Culture: The Consequences of What We Tolerate,Host: Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of TELEIOS, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipTopics: Organizational Culture | Healthcare Leadership | Hospice Leadership | Accountability | Leadership Development | Workplace Culture | Organizational Behavior | Purpose-Driven Leadership | Culture ChangeTeleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast

The hospice moratorium may eventually end—but CMS scrutiny of hospice is likely here to stay.In Part Two of The Hospice Moratorium: What CMS Is Really Signaling About the Future, Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner continue their conversation with Dr. Jennifer Kennedy, Vice President for Quality, Standards and Compliance at CHAP, about what hospice leaders should expect when the moratorium is lifted—and how organizations should prepare now.The conversation explores increased CMS enrollment scrutiny, changes of ownership, audits, SSVI, compliance programs, and the growing role of data and AI in identifying fraud and abuse.  Jennifer emphasizes that quality and compliance must work hand-in-hand and that hospices should begin treating audits and regulatory readiness as part of the cost of doing business. But greater regulation raises an important question: Can CMS become precise enough to eliminate bad actors without penalizing high-quality providers? The discussion examines how better data and AI could help regulators target fraud more effectively while protecting access, innovation, and legitimate hospice organizations. Most importantly, Jennifer reminds leaders that compliance cannot overshadow the mission.  Even in a more regulated future, hospice must remain centered on compassionate, patient-centered care and what matters most to the patient. In this episode:What could happen when the hospice moratorium endsWhy CMS scrutiny is likely to increaseBuilding a culture of compliance and qualityWhy hospices should budget for more auditsSSVI and the future of hospice oversightUsing AI and data to better identify fraud and abuseProtecting legitimate providers from regulatory overreachKeeping compassion at the center of hospice care🎧 Subscribe to TCNtalks | Anatomy of Leadership for conversations helping healthcare and hospice leaders navigate what’s next.Guest: Dr. Jennifer Kennedy, Vice President, Quality, Compliance and Standards with CHAPCo-Host: Cordt Kassner, PHD, Publisher, Hospice & Palliative Care TodayHost: Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of Teleios, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipTeleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast

The hospice moratorium may be temporary—but the changes it signals for hospice oversight could be permanent.In Part One of The Hospice Moratorium: What CMS Is Really Signaling About the Future, Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner, PhD, are joined by Dr. Jennifer Kennedy, Vice President for Quality, Standards and Compliance at CHAP, to unpack why CMS implemented the hospice moratorium and what it could mean for the future of the Medicare hospice benefit.The conversation explores the growing federal focus on fraud and abuse, rapid hospice market expansion, Medicare enrollment, accreditation oversight, and increasingly sophisticated screening of providers.  Jennifer also explains why she believes the moratorium could be extended—and why CMS scrutiny is unlikely to disappear when the moratorium eventually ends. But there’s another side to the crackdown: legitimate hospice providers can get caught in the same regulatory net designed to stop bad actors.  What happens when high-quality organizations want to expand into rural or underserved communities but can’t? And can CMS become precise enough to protect access while aggressively pursuing fraud? In this episode:What the CMS hospice moratorium actually meansWhy fraud and rapid market expansion triggered increased scrutinyWhether the moratorium could be extendedThe role of accreditation and enrollment screeningHow legitimate hospice providers may be unintentionally affectedWhy quality and compliance will define the next era of hospice oversight Guest: Dr. Jennifer Kennedy,Co-Host: Cordt Kassner, PHD, Publisher, Hospice & Palliative Care TodayHost: Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of Teleios, author of The Anatomy of LeadershipTeleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast