Here’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]
Sources
Earlier this week, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a six-month nationwide moratorium, effective May 13, 2026, on new Medicare enrollment for home health agencies and hospices, which will materially affect growth and transaction planning across the sector. The key takeaways are immediate: de novo Medicare enrollment-based expansion is paused nationwide, pending applications and existing provider numbers will require careful diligence, and ownership-change structures...
natlawreview.comRumors have circulated that the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is mulling a national moratorium on hospice provider enrollment in
hospicenews.comWASHINGTON, D.C. — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has imposed a six-month nationwide freeze on new Medicare enrollments for hospices and home health agencies as federal officials intensify …
www.mychesco.comThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it will pause the enrollment of new hospice and home health providers.
www.statnews.comKey Takeaways CMS has issued nationwide moratoria on new Medicare enrollments for hospices and home health agencies, effective May 13, 2026, halting all new applications and branch expansions for at least six months. Existing providers may continue operating but may face heightened compliance expectations, while any new applications submitted within six months after the moratoria … Continued
www.bassberry.comThe agency is halting enrollments for six months as part of the Trump administration’s broader attempt to crack down on fraud. Hospice and home health groups said they largely supported the moratorium.
www.healthcaredive.comLearn how CMS's nationwide moratoria on new hospice and home health enrollments affects Medicare compliance, fraud enforcement, and deals.
www.dwt.comThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 13, 2026 announced a nationwide temporary moratorium on new Medicare enrollments for hospices and home health agencies, representing a significant escalation in the agency’s use of front-end program integrity tools. The moratorium applies across all states and is effective immediately, with an initial duration of six months and the potential for extension.
www.morganlewis.com