Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (R) introduced the Protecting Seniors and Stopping Fraudsters Act, legislation aimed at strengthening oversight of hospice and home healthcare providers amid ongoing concerns over Medicare fraud and abuse.
Rep. Van Duyne said the bill is intended to crack down on fraudulent providers while protecting seniors and legitimate healthcare organizations participating in Medicare programs.
"Every single dollar stolen by criminals from Medicare is a dollar ripped away from a vulnerable senior who is just trying to spend their final days in comfort, peace, and dignity," said Rep. Van Duyne. "My bill takes a proactive approach to stop fraud by strengthening oversight of high-risk hospice programs and home health agencies."
The legislation would increase survey frequency for newly enrolled hospice and home health agencies, providers undergoing ownership changes, and organizations showing signs of suspicious activity.
It also proposes enhanced screening requirements for providers considered at "extreme risk" of fraud, including fingerprinting administrators and requiring proof of liability insurance.
Additional provisions include stronger accountability standards for accrediting organizations, annual reporting requirements to Congress on fraud enforcement efforts, and new notification requirements intended to help Medicare beneficiaries understand when they have been enrolled in hospice care and how to report or reverse fraudulent enrollments.
National Alliance for Care at Home endorsed the legislation, with CEO Jennifer Sheets calling the proposal a "targeted, data-driven" effort to remove bad actors from Medicare hospice and home healthcare systems.
The legislation follows years of congressional scrutiny surrounding hospice fraud. Since 2023, Van Duyne has led bipartisan oversight efforts involving the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Department of Health and Human Services over concerns about fraudulent billing practices and patient abuse.
The issue gained renewed attention this month after CMS announced the suspension of approximately 800 hospice providers over suspected Medicare fraud investigations.
