CMS has launched a six-month nationwide moratorium on new hospice and home health Medicare enrollments, citing ongoing efforts to prevent fraud, strengthen oversight, and protect Medicare beneficiaries. The temporary freeze applies to new Medicare enrollment applications and certain ownership changes for hospice and home health providers. Enrollment applications that were received by a Medicare Administrative Contractor prior to the effective date of the moratoria will not be impacted. The moratorium provides an exception for changes in ownership unless the changes in ownership require a new, initial enrollment. In the CMS Q&As, CMS noted that the hospice moratorium will not impact the telehealth flexibility currently available to meet face-to-face recertification requirements. Prior moratoria have been extended over the course of multiple years so there’s the possibility for CMS to extend it. The proposed regulatory notices for hospice and home health, can be found here: hospice, home health.