Protecting Patients at the End of Life: Why CON Still Matters | Part Two

In Part Two of Protecting Patients at the End of Life: Why CON Still Matters, host Chris Comeaux continues the conversation with two of the nation’s most respected hospice policy leaders—Paul A. Ledford, President & CEO of the Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association, and Tim Rogers, President & CEO of the Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina.This episode moves beyond regulatory theory and into the real-world patient and family experience—especially in states without hospice Certificate of Need (CON) laws. Drawing on decades of leadership, personal stories of loved ones in hospice, and data-informed insights, Paul and Tim explore what families actually face when hospice markets are oversaturated, fragmented, or poorly regulated.The conversation examines how too many choices can overwhelm families, how small, unsustainable hospice programs can dilute quality, and how fraud and inappropriate enrollments disproportionately affect vulnerable populations—often stripping patients of access to Medicare benefits when they need them most.Listeners also gain a deeper understanding of how Florida and North Carolina use CON to balance:Access to hospice careProgram sustainability and scaleRural and underserved community coverageInpatient hospice availabilityProtection against bad actorsThe episode concludes with a forward-looking discussion on what principles—not politics—should guide states that are reconsidering or redesigning hospice CON laws today.This is an essential conversation for healthcare leaders, policymakers, hospice executives, board members, and anyone committed to protecting quality end-of-life care.Guest:Paul A. Ledford, President & CEO of the Florida Hospice & Palliative Care AssociationTim Rogers, President & CEO of the Association for Home & Hospice Care of North CarolinaHost:Chris Comeaux, President / CEO of TELEIOSTeleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast