Stevens & Lee: Medicare Moratorium Complicates Medicaid Home Care Enrollment
In a law firm client alert, Stevens & Lee discusses the compliance implications of CMS's May 13, 2026 nationwide moratorium on new Medicare enrollments and majority ownership changes for home health agencies and hospices, which CMS implemented to curb fraud and resource misuse. The firm explains that although the moratorium applies to Medicare enrollment, it creates downstream compliance challenges for home care agencies seeking new Medicaid enrollment or ownership changes, since many state Medicaid programs rely on or cross-reference Medicare enrollment status. Agencies pursuing acquisitions, mergers, or new market entry must now navigate added uncertainty in aligning Medicare and Medicaid enrollment requirements. The alert does not specify an end date for the moratorium.