Medicare Freezes New Home Health Agency Enrollments
The U.S. government is pausing new Medicare home health and hospice enrollments due to fraud concerns, allowing for expenditure review and new guidance.
Lauren Collins ·
U.S. Halts New Medicare Home Health Enrollments
The U.S. government, through the Trump administration, will implement a nationwide moratorium on new home health and hospice provider enrollments in Medicare, effective Wednesday, May 13, 2026. This action, announced by a senior administration official, is a direct response to concerns regarding widespread fraud within these sectors.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will utilize this pause to conduct a comprehensive review of hospice and home health expenditures under Medicare. The objective is to account for existing services and develop enhanced guidance, addressing the rapid establishment of potentially fraudulent businesses.
This initiative is part of President JD Vance's anti-fraud task force efforts, which have previously targeted other healthcare sectors, including durable medical equipment suppliers in February.
In 2024, Medicare expenditures for hospice care totaled $28.3 billion for 1.8 million beneficiaries, while home healthcare costs reached $16 billion for 2.7 million patients. The administration has previously highlighted fraud concerns in states such as California and Minnesota, and increased oversight in Georgia and Ohio. Industry groups have offered varied responses, with some supporting temporary pauses and others cautioning against broad actions that could impede legitimate care access.