AHA shares concerns to CMS on CY 2026 home health PPS rule

The AHA Aug. 28 expressed concerns to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on the calendar year 2026 home health prospective payment system proposed rule. The AHA said that proposed budget neutrality reductions to the HH base payment rate would compound access challenges for beneficiaries needing HH care and disrupt operations for acute care and other hospitals. The AHA urged CMS to suspend the proposed cuts in favor of more adequate payment updates. Additionally, the AHA recommended CMS take other actions, including reassessing and refining the HH market basket construction approach, reexamining the impacts of the productivity adjustment on Medicare payments, and addressing harmful practices of Medicare Advantage plans that restrict acute care hospital capacity and delay timely access to post-acute care.