The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is calling on Congress to reevaluate how CMS reimburses hospice payments, according to a report released June 9, 2026. 
 
The GAO’s focus in its report was on the impact of low-visit hospices, or the agencies that deliver the fewest visits per beneficiary per week, on CMS costs. The study authors noted that, because CMS reimburses hospice with a daily rate, low-visit hospices were being paid an average of twice as much per visit as agencies that completed the most visits on average. 
 
Another key concern explored in the report was the way that the hospice payment system might incentivize fraud. To combat unnecessary expenses and potential fraud, GAO officials recommended that Congress revise its payment system, noting that the use of a per-visit rate could have saved Medicare around $7.6 billion in 2024. 
 
Industry stakeholders were quick to respond to the GAO report. For example, the National Alliance for Care at Home released a response on June 9, urging the government to focus on targeting bad actors while protecting and expanding access to hospice care.