Trump Administration Freezes Medicare Enrollments

The Donald Trump administration has imposed a nationwide moratorium on new home healthcare and hospice providers enrolling in United States — Medicare for at least six months, citing widespread fraud concerns. This action, spearheaded by Vice President JD Vance's anti-fraud task force, aims to combat an estimated tens of billions of dollars lost annually to healthcare fraud in the United States. The United States — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, overseen by Mehmet Oz, will use this period to review expenditures and develop stricter guidance. While existing providers are unaffected, the move is unusual in its national scope, as previous pauses were limited to specific counties. The administration has also targeted states like United States — California and United States — Minnesota, deferring significant United States — Medicaid funding due to alleged fraud. Industry groups like the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation supported the pause, while the National Alliance warned against overly broad actions that could hinder patient access to care. Major home health and hospice operators, including BrightSpring Health Services, UnitedHealth Group, and GE HealthCare (a VITAS Healthcare subsidiary), may face impacts on their growth strategies.