Hospice Moratorium: What does it mean for patient-directed care?

In May 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a nationwide six-month moratorium on new hospice Medicare enrollments. The moratorium means that new hospice programs cannot open for the next six months. CMS says the goal is to stop fraud and protect patients and taxpayer dollars. (CMS announcement)

Stopping fraud is important. Some hospice providers have been accused of billing Medicare improperly, enrolling patients who were not eligible for hospice care, and not providing hospice care to enrolled patients. (statnews.com)

At the same time, Compassion & Choices is concerned that the moratorium could also create serious access-to-care problems for patients and families who rely on hospice services.

Hospice care provides pain relief, emotional support, and medical care for people at the end of life. For many families, hospice makes it possible for patients and their loved ones to remain at home during the dying process.

Freezing new hospice enrollments nationwide may limit care in communities already struggling with access. Rural communities may be especially affected. Many already have very few hospice providers, and some patients must travel long distances to receive care. If new hospice programs cannot open during the moratorium, shortages are likely to worsen. (aha.org)

The moratorium may also reduce choices for underserved populations. Some newer hospice organizations are designed specifically to serve LGBTQ+ patients, communities of color, immigrant families, and under-resourced communities. Delaying these programs could make it harder for patients to find care that reflects their values and needs.

Demand for innovative and comprehensive hospice care continues to grow. More U.S. Americans are living longer with serious illnesses like cancer, dementia, and heart disease. Many hospice providers already face staffing shortages involving nurses, aides, and social workers. Restricting new providers while patient demand rises may increase wait times and strain existing programs. (statnews.com)

Compassion & Choices supports strong oversight and accountability in hospice care. Patients deserve protection from providers that put profits ahead of care. But patient advocates also believe fraud prevention efforts should not create barriers for seriously ill people who need timely support and comfort.

CMS already has tools to investigate and address fraud, including targeted audits, payment suspensions, site visits, data monitoring, and enforcement actions against providers suspected of abuse. Rather than relying on broad nationwide enrollment freezes, CMS should continue using these targeted strategies to identify fraudulent actors while protecting access for patients who need hospice care.

Policymakers should focus on approaches that both strengthen oversight and preserve and expand patient choice. That includes prioritizing investigations in high-risk regions, improving quality monitoring, increasing transparency, and supporting legitimate hospice providers serving rural and underserved communities.

Patients nearing the end of life deserve both protection from fraud and access to compassionate, high-quality care. CMS should ensure its enforcement efforts achieve both goals.