CMS Sets Nationwide Moratoria on New Hospice and Home Health ...
Learn how CMS's nationwide moratoria on new hospice and home health enrollments affects Medicare compliance, fraud enforcement, and deals.
www.dwt.comHere’s the latest on CMS hospice enrollment moratorium:
- What happened: CMS announced a nationwide six-month moratorium on new Medicare enrollments for hospices and home health agencies, effective May 13, 2026. The halt covers initial enrollments and certain ownership-change scenarios, with extensions possible in six-month increments. This is part of a broader initiative to curb fraud and strengthen program integrity.[1][3][6]
- Scope: The moratorium applies to new hospice enrollments, new hospice locations, and HHA enrollments and branches. It does not suspend ongoing operations for current providers or pending enrollments that were submitted before the effective date.[6][1]
- Duration and extensions: Initially six months, with potential extensions if CMS determines continued risk or fraud indicators. Watch Federal Register notices for extensions or clarifications.[3][1]
- Context and rationale: CMS cites rapid enrollment growth and fraud risk in the hospice and home-health space, aiming to accelerate investigations and improve provider screening.[1][6]
- Industry reaction and implications: Many organizations support the fraud crackdown but note potential impacts on growth plans, deal timelines, and transaction feasibility for buyers/sellers in hospice and home-health spaces. Transfers and ownership structures may need early diligence due to enrollment prerequisites.[5][6]
If you want, I can pull the Federal Register notices or summarize how the moratorium affects a specific transaction or market segment (e.g., rural hospices, chain operators, or a particular state). I can also provide a brief checklist for providers and buyers to evaluate enrollment timing and ownership changes during the moratorium.
Citations:
- CMS six-month nationwide enrollment moratorium on hospices and HHAs, effective May 13, 2026.[1]
- Expanded summary of scope and potential extensions; Federal Register notices and CMS announcements.[3]
- Industry analysis and implications for deals and diligence.[5]