On October 13, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) introduced the Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act of 2026 (H.R. 10806), a House companion to legislation introduced by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in August.
The legislation aims to address two longstanding concerns for home health providers: Medicare payment reductions and concerns that fraudulent billing has distorted the data used to calculate reimbursement rates.
If enacted, the legislation would:
LeadingAge supports the legislation, emphasizing the need for payment rates that reflect the patients agencies actually serve and targeted fraud prevention measures that do not unnecessarily burden compliant providers.
Why it matters
Home health agencies continue to face financial pressure from years of Medicare payment adjustments, including a proposed 3% temporary reduction in the CY 2027 Home Health Proposed Rule.
The introduction of companion legislation in both chambers signals growing congressional attention to payment reform and the need to distinguish legitimate providers from bad actors.
The legislation has not been enacted and does not change current payment rates or compliance requirements.
What to do