[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the national voice for nonprofit hospice and advanced illness care, applauds the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) announcement of a temporary six-month nationwide moratorium on new Medicare hospice enrollments that will help stop fraudulent operators from exploiting the Medicare hospice benefit.
NPHI was the first organization in the nation to publicly call for a temporary nationwide moratorium, formally urging CMS to take this action in a March 25, 2026 letter sent to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and Deputy Administrator and COO Kim Brandt.
“On behalf of NPHI and the nonprofit hospice providers we represent across the country, we are fully supportive of CMS taking this decisive step to protect patients, families, and the integrity of the Medicare hospice benefit,” said Tom Koutsoumpas, Founder & CEO of NPHI. “For too long, fraudulent actors have exploited regulatory gaps to infiltrate hospice care, undermine public trust, and take advantage of vulnerable Americans at one of the most difficult moments in their lives. This temporary nationwide moratorium is an important and necessary action to stop fraudulent practices.”
NPHI has long advocated for stronger federal enforcement efforts related to hospice fraud and has remained in ongoing communication with CMS leadership regarding the need for targeted, evidence-based actions that protect patients while preserving access to high-quality hospice care delivered by longstanding nonprofit, community-based providers.
The moratorium announced by CMS closely reflects the recommendations outlined in NPHI’s March 25 letter, including that the action be temporary, national in scope, and paired with broader enforcement and oversight efforts aimed at identifying and removing bad actors already operating within the system.
“NPHI has worked tirelessly through engagement with CMS to ensure that community-based, mission-driven hospice providers that have cared for patients and families with compassion and integrity for decades are protected throughout the duration of this moratorium,” said Koutsoumpas. “This action must now be paired with continued, aggressive efforts to identify and remove bad actors already operating within the system while strengthening oversight measures that prevent fraud from reemerging in the future. We appreciate CMS’ leadership on this issue and look forward to continuing to work closely with the agency as implementation moves forward.”
NPHI also commends CMS’ decision to preserve existing telehealth flexibilities tied to hospice face-to-face recertification requirements during the moratorium period. Hospices currently enrolled in Medicare will continue to be able to utilize telehealth for recertification encounters, helping ensure patients maintain timely access to care and support.
Moving forward, NPHI remains committed to working with CMS, Congress, and other stakeholders to strengthen program integrity in ways that protect patients, preserve access to high-quality hospice care, and ensure accountability for bad actors seeking to exploit the Medicare hospice benefit.
Read NPHI’s March 25 letter to CMS calling for a temporary nationwide hospice moratorium here: NPHI March 25 Letter to CMS.
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