The Trump administration announced Wednesday a six-month freeze on new Medicare enrollments for hospice and home health agencies nationwide, claiming the move is aimed at cracking down on fraud.
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The moratorium will stop any new providers from enrolling in Medicare and receiving reimbursement through the federal insurance program for older adults over the next six months. Existing agencies already enrolled in Medicare will still be allowed to continue caring for patients as usual.
WATCH: Idaho Health Association Responds to the freeze
“There has been fraud in other states, which is super unfortunate,” said Robert Vande Merwe, executive director of the Idaho Health Care Association.
“Medicare and Medicaid dollars are hard-earned dollars from Americans.”
Vande Merwe says while Idaho supports efforts to stop fraud, he worries the nationwide freeze could make it harder for smaller and rural communities to access hospice and home health care.
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“We don't agree with this big, wide approach, which could have been a much more targeted approach,” Vande Merwe stated.
He says many rural communities already have limited hospice and home health options.
“Rural areas, no options in some areas, no home health agency or hospice agency, and that's definitely not good for patient care,” he said.
Vande Merwe says hospice and home health services help many seniors receive care from home instead of traveling long distances to hospitals or care facilities.
“People don’t want to die in the hospital. They want to die at home,” he said, “And so hospice does that. It saves money, and it provides care where people want it.”
Established agencies like Horizon Home Health and Hospice say current patients should not experience interruptions in care because of the temporary freeze.
“For agencies that are already established such as Horizon, this won't impact us,” said Ashley Pentzer, chief market officer for Horizon Home Health and Hospice, “We'll continue to admit patients and treat patients as we have.”
Still, Pentzer cautions that the freeze could make it more difficult for new agencies to open in underserved communities.
“It’s already difficult for patients and individuals to access care, so limiting the types of resources available in the home could potentially be detrimental to them,” Pentzer said.
Both agencies say they support efforts to reduce fraud but hope the temporary freeze does not create long-term problems for patients needing care close to home.
Vande Merwe adds he hopes the freeze remains temporary and does not extend beyond the six-month timeline announced by the federal government.
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