Literature Review

Maui Hospice calms jitters after feds freeze new Medicare sign-ups Hoodline; by Marc Suzuki; 5/20/26Hospice Maui moved quickly this week to calm worried island families after federal officials hit pause on new Medicare hospice and home health enrollments. The Wailuku nonprofit stressed that long-standing, Medicare-certified providers like itself are not the focus of the federal action, and that patients already in its care will continue to receive visits, medications and support services without interruption. The organization also pointed families to a direct phone line for anyone who wants a real person to walk them through what the freeze does and does not mean.

HealthView CEO Steven Gonzalez announces Inc. articles on why presence beats certainty — and why it matters even more in the age of AI Associated Press, Cerritos, CA; 5/19/26 Steven Gonzalez, President & CEO of HealthView Home Health, Hospice & Palliative Care, announces the publication of his latest Inc. article, “Certainty Is Overrated. Presence Is Underrated,” now live on Inc.com. ... In the published article, Gonzalez challenges a long-held leadership myth: that strong leaders must always project confidence, clarity, and absolute answers. Instead, he makes the case that presence, consistency, and authenticity matter more than false certainty in times of rapid change. When leaders remain visible, grounded, and human, they build the trust and stability that carry teams forward — even in the middle of ambiguity.

Loving Hands Hospice challenges Medicare payment suspension, cites due process concerns amid California hospice enforcement actions TMX Newsfile | Newsfile Corp., Los Angeles, CA; Press Release; 5/19/26 Loving Hands Hospice, a women-owned hospice care provider based in Los Angeles, California, has announced that it is currently involved in a legal dispute connected to Medicare payment suspension measures and related allegations under review (Reference Number: PSP-260330-00042). ... Loving Hands Hospice, which has provided hospice services to patients and families in the Los Angeles area for approximately five years, says it supports enforcement actions where legitimate fraud is identified. However, company leadership states that broad enforcement measures applied across California's hospice sector may not adequately account for differences in individual provider circumstances, patient populations, and compliance histories.

Paul Ledford: Program integrity should strengthen — not undermine — access to hospice care in Florida Florida Politics; by guest author Paul Ledford, president and CEO of the Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association; 5/18/26 Few places in America are as closely tied to retirement and aging as Florida. [Background information on the recent CMS Hospice and Home Health Moratorium] ... CMS has previously acknowledged that targeted, geographically focused enforcement is the most effective way to combat localized fraud. A nationwide moratorium contradicts that approach. Rather than protecting patients, it risks cutting off access for the very people hospice is designed to serve. The right solution is targeted enforcement — cracking down on criminal networks in the specific communities where abuse is documented, without penalizing high-performing states and the families who rely on their care.

Home health & hospice M&A in 2026: how compliance and clinical risk affect valuation and deal structure JD Supra; by Arnall Golden Gregory, LLP; 5/15/26 Key Takeaways:

Ohio taking new steps to target Medicaid fraud Spectrum News 1, Cleveland and Columbus, OH; by Aliah Keller; 5/14/26Ohio is taking new steps to crack down on Medicaid fraud, with a focus on home-healthcare and hospice providers.What You Need To Know

The National Law Review: CMS imposes nationwide enrollment moratoria on hospices and home health agencies - what buyers sellers and operators need to know The National Law Review; by Margia Corner, Ashley Wheelock, Tammy Ward Woffenden, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP; 5/14/26 ... [Assuming readers have background information] ... Critically for some pending or proposed transactions, both moratoria block re-enrollment of hospices or HHAs undergoing a non-exempt change in majority ownership (CIMO) within 36 months of initial enrollment or the most recent CIMO. Such transactions require the entity to enroll as a brand-new provider.... Both moratoria apply only to Medicare. However, CMS is encouraging states to consider parallel moratoria for Medicaid and CHIP, tailored to their beneficiary population and geographic considerations. CMS also noted that while some states previously enacted laws placing a moratorium on issuing new licenses in their state, those efforts cannot prevent new agencies or enrollments in other states and thus its nationwide moratoria are warranted.

Free webinar today by CHAP, 3-4pm ET: The National Hospice and Home Health Enrollment Moratorium | what we know so far Community Health Accreditation Partner; webinar will be presented by Kim Skehan, Jennifer Kennedy, and Teresa Harbour; posted 5/14/26 with webinar 5/15/26 Join CHAP and Kim Skehan for a timely discussion focused on what we currently know, what remains unclear, and how providers should be thinking about readiness, compliance, and next steps. Anyone can view and join online. During the webinar, we will cover:

US halting Medicare enrollments for new home healthcare and hospice providers Reuters; by Jody Godoy; 5/13/26 The Trump administration will temporarily block new home health and hospice providers on Wednesday from enrolling in Medicare, a senior administration official said, citing concerns about widespread fraud. The nationwide moratorium is the latest move by Vice President JD Vance's anti-fraud task force to crack down on healthcare scams, including those that affect Medicare, a U.S. government program providing health insurance to elderly and disabled Americans.

Hospice fraud is becoming a political flashpoint. Why? National Public Radio WAMU; by Michelle Harven; 5/11/26 The state of California recently charged 21 people with hospice fraud, accusing them of costing the state $267 million. These types of schemes start with criminals opening up shell companies, signing recipients up without their knowledge, and then billing Medi-Cal for nonexistent services. This can have a serious effect on a senior’s ability to find care in the future. And it’s not just a state matter. The push to uncover this kind of fraud has become a political battle ... We sit down and talk about why we’re seeing this kind of fraud happen, who it harms, and why it’s become a political flashpoint.

US halting Medicare enrollments for new home healthcare and hospice providers Reuters; by Jody Godoy; 5/13/26 The Trump administration will temporarily block new home health and hospice providers on Wednesday from enrolling in Medicare, a senior administration official said, citing concerns about widespread fraud. The nationwide moratorium is the latest move by Vice President JD Vance's anti-fraud task force to crack down on healthcare scams, including those that affect Medicare, a U.S. government program providing health insurance to elderly and disabled Americans.

DOJ doubles down on healthcare fraud enforcement with new West Coast strike force MedCity News; by Katie Adams; 5/10/26 ... The DOJ rolled out a strike force targeting healthcare fraud in Arizona, Nevada and Northern California. The new strike force — which the DOJ is calling its “West Coast” healthcare fraud strike force — comes seven months after the department launched a similar strike force going after healthcare fraud in Massachusetts. Florida is not on this list yet, even though it has a reputation for healthcare fraud, but it might be next. 

Local hospice leader exposes fraud draining millions in taxpayer dollars across Texas KWTX 10, Waco, TX; by Nicole Marino; 5/8/26 Texas hospice licenses have nearly doubled since 2020, with some operators billing Medicare for patients who don’t know they’re enrolled. ... Lisa McNair, president and CEO of Hospice Brazos Valley, testified before the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services in April with research showing the number of hospices in Texas has nearly doubled since 2020. There are now more than 1,300 hospices operating in the state. ... McNair told KBTX that the fraud is draining taxpayer dollars and eroding trust in legitimate end-of-life care.