Complete Story
10/20/2026
House Introduces Companion Bill to Reset Home Health Payments and Strengthen Fraud Prevention
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:
- Reset the Medicare home health payment rate for 2027 and eliminate permanent and temporary behavioral adjustments under the Patient Driven Groupings Model (PDGM).
- Address the influence of fraudulent claims and other factors that may have distorted Medicare payment calculations.
- Strengthen provider screening, increase oversight of higher risk agencies and provide additional resources for fraud prevention and enforcement.
- Increase accountability for accrediting organizations and strengthen survey requirements.
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
- Share the proposed legislation with executive, finance and compliance leadership as part of 2027 planning.
- Consider sharing examples of how Medicare payment reductions affect patient access and agency operations with LeadingAge Ohio to support advocacy efforts.
- Monitor congressional action and the upcoming CY 2027 Home Health Final Rule for additional developments.