Local Nurse Goes to Washington DC to meet with elected officials about Hospice Fraud

Grass Valley, CA – Last month, at end of June, Registered Nurse, Kellie Bolle of Foothills Compassionate Care, traveled to Washington DC to meet with elected officials on the issue of fraud, waste and abuse in hospice care. Widespread hospice fraud has been documented in several states, including in California.

With a rapidly escalating fraud crisis in hospice care, reputable, mission-focused organizations and providers are having to answer for a growing number of bad actors.

Foothills Compassionate Care invites the public to an interactive town hall that will include: An update on national efforts to combat hospice fraud, insights from Clinical Care Manager Kellie Bolle, MSN, RN, CHPN, following her advocacy meetings in Washington, D.C., information about how to identify a reputable hospice provider, a discussion of hospice, palliative care, and the Medicare hospice benefit, and an open question-and-answer session with hospice professionals.

“Through compassionate care, education, and advocacy, we are committed to supporting patients and families while strengthening trust in hospice care throughout our community,” states Executive Director Heidi Wingo. “At Foothills Compassionate Care, our mission is to ensure that no one faces life’s final chapters alone.”

Foothills Compassionate Care was founded in Nevada County as “Hospice of the Foothills.” The organization has served the region since 1979 and is a licensed California hospice provider, Medicare-certified, and accredited by The Joint Commission.

Kellie Bolle, a board member of the advocacy group California Hospice and Palliative Care Association (CHAPCA) met with the offices of Senator Alex Padilla as well as Congressional Representatives Bera, Garamendi, and Kiley. The contingency also met with Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services since 2025.

“The time spent with Dr. Oz was inspiring,” remarked Kellie.  “He was extremely engaged, knowledgeable, and motivated to preserve the Medicare hospice benefit, while eliminating the waste, fraud and abuse from fraudulent billing agencies. “

According to an article written by Jim Parker and published on the “Hospice News” website in May 2026, “Some providers have enrolled patients who did not qualify for hospice care or did so without the patients’ knowledge or consent. Others have transferred patients between hospice organizations in exchange for payments, participated in ‘license flipping,’ and offered illegal kickbacks for referrals, among other violations.”

With 30 years of nursing experience, Kellie Bolle MSN, RN, CHPN has dedicated much of her career to delivering compassionate and high-quality care to patients in a variety of settings. Having spent the last 20 years in the inpatient care environment, Kellie Bolle MSN, RN, CHPN rose to the position of Director of Patient Care Services before transitioning to a leadership role in hospice care.

“I was encouraged by how receptive and educated House Representative Dr. Ami Bara’s staffer was,” Kellie Bolle noted. “She was well informed regarding hospice services and committed to hearing the input and ideas that the CHAPCA delegation brought to that office regarding how to identify and target the fraudulent billers in the hospice space.”  

Now serving as the Clinical Care Manager at Foothills Compassionate Care also known as Hospice of the Foothills, a non-profit hospice organization, Kellie Bolle MSN, RN, CHPN has returned to her roots in community-based care. Her passion for supporting individuals and families during end-of-life care drives her commitment to providing personalized and compassionate service to those in need.

Kellie is a Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN), a credential that reflects her advanced expertise and dedication to enhancing the quality of hospice care. With a strong leadership background and extensive experience in both clinical and managerial roles, she continues to be an advocate for improved patient outcomes and high standards in the hospice and palliative care fields.

While the headlines surrounding hospice fraud can understandably cause concern, organizations like Foothills Compassionate Care are working to ensure that patients and families continue to receive the compassionate, ethical, and high-quality care they deserve. By advocating for stronger oversight at the national level while remaining deeply rooted in the communities they serve, healthcare leaders like Kellie Bolle are helping preserve the integrity of the Medicare hospice benefit and strengthen public trust in one of healthcare’s most compassionate services.

Foothills Compassionate Care is a community-based, nonprofit healthcare organization headquartered in Grass Valley that provides hospice, palliative care, bereavement support, caregiver support, and community education to people throughout western Nevada County and surrounding communities.