A bill to address years of home health payment cuts and pressing fraud concerns has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The National Alliance for Care at Home noted the bill (H.R.10806) introduced by Rep. Claudio Tenney, R-N.Y., complements the Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act of 2026 that was introduced this summer in the Senate.
“This legislation fixes the flawed math behind years of compounding cuts and gives CMS the tools to stop bad actors before they receive federal funds,” said Jennifer Sheets, CEO of the Alliance, in a statement. “With bills now in both chambers, Congress has a clear path to protecting access to essential home health services.”
The legislation would stabilize the Medicare home health benefit by recalculating the Medicare home health payment rate for 2027, the Alliance noted. “It would also require CMS to use reliable data that excludes fraudulent billing and accounts for the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency.”
The bill also takes a more targeted approach to home health fraud, including enrollment screening, increased oversight and additional survey and training requirements for accreditation organizations. These moves are expected to mean less collateral damage for legitimate providers.