Government Halts New Hospices Nationwide: Fraud Fight or Care Crunch?
Published Date: 5/15/2026
Notice
Summary
Starting May 13, 2026, there’s a 6-month nationwide pause on new hospice enrollments in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. This means new hospices can’t join these programs for half a year to help stop fraud and protect patients. If you’re a hospice provider or someone who relies on these services, this temporary hold could affect access and payments during this time.
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Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
Nationwide 6‑Month Hospice Enrollment Pause
Beginning May 13, 2026, CMS imposed a nationwide 6‑month moratorium on new Medicare hospice enrollments across the United States, including all States, territories, and the District of Columbia. The pause can be extended in 6‑month increments and may be lifted earlier under certain conditions such as a Presidential disaster declaration or the Secretary's judgment.
Medicare Beneficiaries May Face Access Effects
If you are a Medicare beneficiary, the moratorium effective May 13, 2026 for 6 months may limit the entry of new hospices into Medicare and could affect access to hospice services or the availability of new hospice providers in your area. The moratorium applies nationwide, including all States, territories, and the District of Columbia.
Pending Applications Received Are Grandfathered
Hospices whose Medicare enrollment applications were received by the applicable Medicare contractor prior to May 13, 2026 are not blocked by this moratorium and may continue through enrollment processing. New hospice enrollment applications submitted on or after May 13, 2026 are subject to the 6‑month pause.
Medicaid/CHIP State Compliance Rule
Under the statutory provisions cited in this notice, States must comply with any moratorium imposed by the Secretary for Medicaid unless a State determines that the moratorium would adversely impact Medicaid beneficiaries' access to care. Similar provisions for CHIP also apply under the cited authorities.
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