What Home-Based Care Leaders Should Have on Their Radar This Fall
by Jamie Daugherty, Executive Director

As September comes to a close, home-based care providers are entering a busy stretch of the year. Budget planning is underway, regulatory changes are approaching, and many organizations are already making decisions that will shape 2027.

Rather than looking back at another quarter, here are a few things worth keeping on the radar this fall.

The Home Health Final Rule

For home health providers, the biggest federal item ahead is the CY 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System final rule.

The proposed rule included significant payment and policy changes, along with updates affecting quality programs and provider operations. The comment period has closed, and we are now waiting to see what CMS ultimately finalizes.

For agencies developing 2027 budgets, the challenge is that planning cannot simply stop while we wait. Leaders should understand which portions of the proposed rule would have the greatest impact on their organizations and be prepared to adjust once the final rule is released.

Program Integrity Remains a Priority

Federal attention to fraud, waste, and abuse in home-based care has been a consistent theme throughout 2026.

CMS's nationwide moratorium on new Medicare home health agency and hospice enrollments began May 13 for an initial six-month period, and federal oversight of documentation, eligibility and billing continues.

For established providers, this is another reason to make compliance part of everyday operations. Documentation should support the clinical story, eligibility should be clear, and internal auditing should identify problems before an outside reviewer does.

Oregon Hospice Rulemaking Is Underway

Here in Oregon, implementation of SB 1575 is moving forward.

The Oregon Health Authority has begun the rulemaking process to implement the hospice licensing changes passed earlier this year, with Rulemaking Advisory Committee meetings continuing into October.

OAHC will continue following that process closely and representing the practical realities of Oregon hospice providers as the rules take shape.

Preparing for What Comes Next

The common thread through all of this is preparation.

We don't need to know exactly what every final regulation will say before we begin planning. We do need to understand where changes could affect reimbursement, operations, compliance, and strategic decisions.

The next few months will bring more answers. When the home health final rule is released, we will break it down for Oregon providers and focus on what it actually means for agencies heading into 2027.

Until then, this is a good time to keep an eye on what's coming and make sure our organizations are ready to respond.