Hospice & Home Health News 2026Mar26

Kierstin Reed • March 26, 2026

CMS Releases Report on Hospice Wage Index TEP

In September 2025, a Technical Expert Panel (TEP) meeting was convened by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to discuss potential changes to the Medicare Hospice Wage Index. LeadingAge's Katy Barnett, Director, Home Care and Hospice Operations and Policy served on the panel along with several LeadingAge members. The purpose of the TEP meeting was to seek feedback from panelists on a proposed alternative to the current hospice wage index, which would utilize new data sources including claims data and data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This TEP meeting represented the first step in acquiring stakeholder and expert input to inform these refinements as CMS analyzes and supports potential changes to the hospice payment system. CMS made available the TEP summary report, which summarizes the discussion and recommendations of the Technical Expert Panel, as well as the TEP technical report, which provides a detailed examination of the discussed alternative approaches.

House Launches Investigation into Hospice Fraud in Southern California

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom on March 23 detailing their concerns regarding the growth of fraudulent hospice agencies in California. This House Committee is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate "any matter" at "any time" under House Rule X. The letter cites that the Committee's investigate into Minnesota's federally funded social services programs uncovered similar "failures by state agencies to conduct oversight". The Committee asked for information covering the time period of January 1, 2019 to present with the deadline of April 6, 2026. The following information was requested: 

  • All documents and communications among or between the Governor’s office and the Department of Health Care Services covering California’s Medicare Part A hospice programs and Medi-Cal hospice programs, including but not limited to enrollment and verification, licensure and certification, complaints against licensed hospice agencies, investigations, reimbursement requests, audit documentation, audit reports, payment reviews, and regulations that establish the process for verifying the identity and qualifications of hospice agency management personnel;
  • All documents and communications among or between the Governor’s office and the Department of Public Health covering California’s Medicare Part A hospice programs and Medi-Cal hospice programs, including but not limited to enrollment and verification, licensure and certification, complaints against licensed hospice agencies, investigations, reimbursement requests, audit documentation, audit reports, payment reviews, and regulations that establish the process for verifying the identity and qualifications of hospice agency management personnel;
  • All documents and communications among or between the Governor’s office and the Department of Social Services covering California’s Medicare Part A hospice programs and Medi-Cal hospice programs, including but not limited to enrollment and verification, licensure and certification, complaints against licensed hospice agencies, investigations, reimbursement requests, audit documentation, audit reports, payment reviews, and regulations that establish the process for verifying the identity and qualifications of hospice agency management personnel;
  • All documents and communications between the Governor’s office and the California Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) covering California’s Medicare Part A and Medi-Cal hospice programs including but not limited to the number of complaints received about hospice agencies, the number of investigations opened into hospice agencies for provider fraud, as well as abuse or neglect of patients in facilities receiving federal funds, reports about those investigations, the number of prosecutions against hospice providers and audits showing improper billing or fraud.


LeadingAge has been following the issues regarding growing fraud in the hospice program since 2022. Over the past several years LeadingAge has engaged with letters to policymakers on program integrity, developing legislation to address fraud, and as recently as December 2025 sent further recommendations on how to change enrollment, enforcement, and oversight for home health and hospice providers.

Here is your weekly  Home Health Weekly Recap from National.

Here is your weekly  Hospice Weekly Recap from National.

By Kierstin Reed June 25, 2026
Would you like to meet with candidates?
By Kierstin Reed June 25, 2026
PBJ System Transitioning to iQIES in August: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on June 12, that the Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) system will transition to internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) on August 17, 2026. The PBJ system is the only system remaining in the previous QIES system while all other programs have transitioned to iQIES. iQIES is a secure, cloud-based system that CMS uses to collect and manage quality and compliance information. Effective on August 17, 2026, long-term care providers must submit all PBJ staffing data in iQIES. CMS will provide additional information before the launch through various email notifications regarding onboarding, training, details on what to expect, and more. Until then, please ensure that you complete the following (if you haven’t done so already): Create a HCQIS Access Roles and Profile System (HARP) account. Skip this step if you already have a HARP account. If you don’t have an account register here. Request access to iQIES – submit your request early so your access is ready before launch. Although you may request your PBJ role before August 17 (CMS strongly recommends you do so), PBJ functionality will not be available before August 17, 2026. Choose the correct PBJ role within iQIES – Provider Security Official (PSO) – Can view, upload, edit PBJ data and run PBJ reports. This role also approves user access. PBJ Submitter (Provider or Vendor): Can view, upload, edit PBJ data and run PBJ reports. Provider Administrator: View – only access and run PBJ reports. PBJ Viewer: View-only access and run PBJ reports. Additional information on roles can be found in the iQIES Onboarding Process – Provider User Roles Manual posted on the iQIES Reference and Manuals on the QTSO under iQIES Onboarding Guides. 4. Get approval from your facility’s PSO – Your access will not become active until they approve it. Each facility must have at least one PSO to manage access for additional users. Once you register for an iQIES account, be sure to log in regularly. If you don’t log in for 60 days, you’ll lose access to iQIES. Additional information on the iQIES Inactive User Policy can be found on QTSO. Vendors must request access for each facility they represent and get approval from a PSO at each facility, using the facility’s CMS Certification Number (CCN). Policy questions should be emailed to nhstaffing@cms.hhs.gov Technical questions: Contact the iQIES Service Center at 800.339.9313 Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET (7 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT) You may also request assistance via secure chat or schedule a call through CCSQ Support Central. Please note that Chat Support is currently limited to 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. CT Monday – Friday.
By Kierstin Reed June 25, 2026
Don’t miss our next Assisted Living Survey Session
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COVID “Up to Date” Definition Will Not Change.
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Proposed Rule Would Significantly Increase Cost of U.S. Citizenship
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DHHS Hosts Quarterly Division Meeting for HCBS Providers
By Kierstin Reed June 25, 2026
OIG Report Cites Concerns with Hospice Enrollment Eligibility Costing Medicare $255.1 Million
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LeadingAge to Co-Host GRRP Webinar
By Kierstin Reed June 18, 2026
**Thank You for Attending!** LeadingAge RAD for PRAC Peer-Sharing and Policy Discussion.
By Kierstin Reed June 18, 2026
CMS Issues Final Rule on Accrediting Organizations.
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