Top News Stories from 2025, and Predictions for 2026 by Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner | Part 2

In Part 2 of Top News Stories from 2025, and Predictions for 2026, Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner look back on their 2025 predictions with honesty and perspective before turning their focus to what lies ahead.  Both agree that 2025 was defined less by disruption and more by incremental movement.  While pressures around staffing, reimbursement, Medicare Advantage, Hospice quality, and AI persisted, many of the anticipated “breaking points” never fully arrived—revealing a year shaped more by steady undercurrents than seismic shifts.

Looking forward, Chris frames 2026 as a stormy hinge year—a period of mounting pressure without immediate resolution.  The downstream effects of major policy decisions, financial strain across healthcare systems, and political volatility leading into the midterms are expected to surface more clearly.  Rather than delivering clean solutions, 2026 will likely force hard conversations and set the stage for structural changes that play out in 2027 and beyond.

Cordt offers a complementary metaphor: the year of the duck.  Above the surface, healthcare may appear relatively stable, but underneath, rapid movement is underway.  He anticipates increased scrutiny around waste, fraud, and abuse; renewed efforts to modernize hospice standards; and greater emphasis on quality transparency, consumer access, and data-driven decision-making.  These quieter shifts, he notes, are foundational—and far more consequential over time.

Both leaders agree that technology will continue advancing deliberately, not explosively.  AI, virtual reality training, and automation will expand thoughtfully, especially in hospice, where humanity and trust remain central.  Ultimately, the conversation returns to leadership: navigating complexity, holding mission steady, and shaping the future rather than merely predicting it. In a year defined by pressure and preparation, leadership will determine what comes next.

If you haven't watched Part 1 of Top News Stories from 2025, and Predictions for 2026 by Chris Comeaux and Cordt Kassner, check it out: Here is the link.

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Cordt Kassner

PhD, Publisher of Hospice & Palliative Care Today
& CEO and Founder of Hospice Analytics

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Chris Comeaux
MLAS, CPA
President / CEO    TCN / TCG

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