Protect Home Health Care in Rhode Island -- Oppose the Proposed 2026 Medicare Home Health Payment Cuts

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a 9% cut to Medicare Home Health payments in 2026, totaling more than $1 billion nationally. These cuts threaten access to essential home-based care for older adults and people with disabilities in Rhode Island and across the country.

Key Rhode Island Impacts:

• Home Health Agencies in Rhode Island would face a 38% loss in Medicare payments compared to what they should receive in 2026.

• 34% of patients referred to home health after hospitalization did not receive it due to capacity and workforce shortages.

• Since 2019, about 6,173 Rhode Islanders have already lost access to home health services, with multiple agencies closing and more at risk.

Risks of the Cuts:

• Increased emergency room visits, re-hospitalizations, and mortality rates.

• Greater strain on rural and underserved communities, where providers are already scarce.

• Punishes legitimate providers without addressing fraud, waste, or abuse in the system.

What We Need from Congress:

1. Oppose the 2026 Medicare Home Health Final Rule.

2. Urge CMS to rescind the proposed cuts and preserve access to home health.

3. Support legislation that strengthens--not weakens--home-based care, the highest-value and patient-preferred option.