Hospice CARE Act of 2026

The Hospice CARE Act of 2026 introduces stricter oversight and payment reforms for Medicare hospice programs. It temporarily halts enrollment of new hospice programs for five years, with exceptions for areas lacking adequate care access. The bill increases survey frequency for certain hospices, requires more independent physician certifications for terminal illness, and mandates face-to-face encounters before recertifying patients. Payment reforms include adjusting reimbursement rates for specific services like palliative chemotherapy and dialysis, while also implementing stricter reporting requirements and ownership change notifications.