Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q2 2025 was $349.4 million, an increase of 21.8% compared to $286.9 million in Q2 2024 [6] - Adjusted earnings per share rose to $1.49, up 10.4% from $1.35 in the previous year [6] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 24.5% to $43.9 million from $35.3 million in Q2 2024 [6][20] - Cash on hand as of June 30, 2025, was approximately $91 million, with a reduction in bank debt by $30 million to a total of $173 million [6][28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Personal Care segment revenues were $269.2 million, accounting for 77% of total revenue, with a same-store revenue growth of 7.4% [25][14] - Hospice segment revenues were $62.2 million, representing 17.8% of total revenue, with a same-store revenue growth of 10% [25][15] - Home Health segment revenues were $18 million, making up 5.2% of total revenue, with a same-store revenue decrease of 6% [25][16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Illinois and Texas have finalized budget increases for personal care services, with Illinois set to increase reimbursement rates by 3.9% effective January 1, 2026, and Texas by 9.9% effective September 1, 2025 [10][22] - The Illinois rate increase is expected to add approximately $17.5 million in annualized revenue, while the Texas increase is projected to add about $17.7 million [10][22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company continues to focus on strategic acquisitions to enhance geographic coverage and clinical services, with the recent acquisition of Helping Hands Home Care in Pennsylvania [17][24] - The company aims to maintain a conservative net leverage position to pursue further acquisition opportunities [6][29] - The focus remains on organic growth complemented by acquisitions, particularly in personal care and hospice services [24][29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism regarding the reimbursement environment, noting strong support for personal care services from state budgets [33] - Concerns were raised about potential reductions in Medicare payments for home health services, which could impact availability and access to care [12][13] - The company believes that the value of home-based care will continue to be recognized, providing growth opportunities [18] Other Important Information - The company has experienced consistent cash collections and a reduction in bank debt, supporting its capital structure for future investments [28][29] - The adjusted net income per diluted share for Q2 2025 was $1.49, reflecting a solid financial performance [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: How is the overall reimbursement environment expected to unfold? - Management noted strong support from larger markets and expressed optimism about future rate increases, despite some states delaying discussions due to budget uncertainties [32][34] Question: What is driving the negative volumes in same-store census? - The decrease was attributed to the inclusion of New York in prior year comparisons, which has since been disposed of, and a sequential increase in same-store census was noted [35][36] Question: How is the caregiver application rollout impacting performance? - The caregiver application has seen good adoption in Illinois, with about 90% of caregivers registered, and is expected to improve fill rates and retention over time [42][45] Question: What is the impact of immigration policy changes on the workforce? - Currently, there is no significant impact observed, as the company has a small number of caregivers affected by immigration policies [51][52] Question: What are the expectations for hospice segment growth? - Long-term growth expectations for the hospice segment are projected to be in the 5% to 7% range, with recent operational improvements contributing to current growth [53][54] Question: What are the public advocacy priorities for the company? - The company is focused on advocating for the value of personal care services and addressing concerns regarding proposed Medicare payment reductions [81][84] Question: How are payer contracts evolving? - Discussions with payers are increasingly focused on driving volume into plans, with ongoing efforts to implement case rate or episodic payment structures in home health [85][86]