Hospice & Home Health News 2026July3

Kierstin Reed • July 2, 2026

Changes Coming to Home Health Value Based Purchasing, Again? 

Feedback from home health experts may signal potential changes to the home health value-based purchasing and home health quality reporting programs. Read more on what providers should know here.

CMS Seeks Feedback on Palliative Dialysis and End-of-Life Care for ESRD Beneficiaries

A new Request for Information (RFI) embedded in the CY2027 End Stage Renal Disease Proposed Rule seeks feedback on making hospice and home-based palliative care more accessible. This aligns with LeadingAge’s policy priorities and our work on the HOSPICE Care Act that included language on developing a payment mechanism to pay for dialysis, palliative chemotherapy, radiation, and blood transfusions as well as an outlier payment to cover other potential treatments or interventions. Here we review the questions asked and LeadingAge's next steps to responding.

CMS Asks: How to Make Palliative Care More Accessible to ESRD Patients

In the CY2027 End Stage Renal Disease proposed rule published on June 26, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) included a Request for Information (RFI) To Advance Palliative Care for Dialysis Patients. The RFI looks at the interaction between ESRD and the hospice benefit in part from the analysis of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commissions that finds relatively low rates of hospice utilization for these patients. The RFI also looks at the interaction of home health services for dialysis patients understanding that home health is also a potential setting for palliative care. CMS is seeking feedback on definitions for palliative dialysis, beneficiary eligibility and targeting, care delivery and setting interactions, payment policy considerations, program integrity and safeguard efforts, as well as potential models and policy approaches. LeadingAge will have a deeper review of this rule and RFI in the coming week and will discuss the implications of this RFI with members on upcoming Home Health and Hospice Member Network calls. Comments for this rule are due August 26.

Here is your weekly  Home Health Weekly Recap from National.

Here is your weekly  Hospice Weekly Recap from National.

By Kierstin Reed August 20, 2026
Senators Challenge CMS Voting Guidance for Nursing Homes.
By Kierstin Reed August 20, 2026
New MDS Training from CMS: Section K Assessment and Coding Essentials. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training that provides an overview of Section K of the Minimum Data Set (MDS). The course reviews the purpose, assessment steps, coding instructions, coding tips, key definitions, and calculation methods for accurately assessing and coding Section K items. This training can be accessed through the SNF QRP Training webpage.
By Kierstin Reed August 20, 2026
There are no new Assisted Living updates to share this week. Please check back next week for the latest news and information. Here is your Life Plan Community Weekly Recap .
By Kierstin Reed August 20, 2026
COVID “Up to Date” Definition Will Not Change
By Kierstin Reed August 20, 2026
Temporary Protected Status for El Salvado Ends September 9, 2026: Employment authorization for eligible Salvadoran TPS holders will end September 9th per USCIS, absent new litigation or a redesignation. USCIS has automatically extended certain expired TPS-based employment authorization documents through that date and issued related Form I-9 records, and prepare for timely reverification and potential workforce disruptions. For details see the full article here . New Guidance from IRS on No Tax on Overtime. Last week, the Internal revenue Service issued updated FAQs on the No Tax on Overtime provision under HR 1, which added a new tax deduction for qualified overtime compensation. The deduction allows individuals to deduct up to $12,500 of qualified overtime pay annually ($25,000 in the case of a joint return) but may be reduced if a taxpayer's modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $150,000 ($300,000 for joint filers). Developed in coordination with the Department of Labor and Office of Personnel Management, the updated FAQs replace previous FAQs issued in January 2026 and provide more extensive guidance on overtime eligibility and exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act, reporting qualified overtime compensation, and federal income tax withholdings from wages. The FAQs also include a guidance for employers on calculating qualified overtime compensation to be paid to an employee for purposes of the deduction. This includes instructions for alternative methods of computation are used to compute overtime, which may apply to employees of certain residential care facilities. Here is your weekly Workforce Weekly Recap
By Kierstin Reed August 20, 2026
Home Care Network: Tuesday August 18th at 2 EST
By Kierstin Reed August 20, 2026
Final HHVBP July 2026 IPR's Published
By Kierstin Reed August 20, 2026
UPDATE: Proposed Rule Rolling Back Community Reinvestment Act Obligations Published. As we reported last week, a multi-agency proposed rule seeks to roll back the Community Reinvestment Act and could weaken investment in affordable housing and community development. This proposed rule has now been published in the Federal Register on August 12 kicking off a 60-day comment period that will end on October 13, 2026. The full article can be read here .
By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
LeadingAge Webinar on Tenant Compliance Must-Dos for Affordable Senior Housing, August 19, 2-3:15 p.m. ET. Join the LeadingAge housing community for a webinar by compliance expert Jenny DeSilva, who will review unique rules and requirements for HUD-assisted senior housing communities. Participants will receive practical guidance to stay prepared for HUD oversight while supporting older adults as they age in community. Register here . Affordable housing Weekly Recap . Here is your weekly Affordable Housing Weekly Recap
By Kierstin Reed August 13, 2026
CMS Releases Home Health Agency PEPPER Reports
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