NHPCO Statement: Ownership Data for All Medicare-Certified Hospice and Home Health Agencies Now Publicly Available
For Immediate Release
April 20, 2023
(Alexandria, VA) – The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and its affiliate organization, the Hospice Action Network (HAN) published the following statement in response to today’s announcement that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has, for the first time ever, released ownership data for all Medicare-certified hospice and home health agencies.
This announcement means that information on the ownership of more than 6,000 hospices and 11,000 home health agencies certified to participate in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can now be reviewed by anyone on the CMS website. This follows the release of the FY2024 Hospice Rule (CMS-1787-P) which included the categories of “private equity company” and “real estate investment trust” to the list of possible options for hospice ownership.
According to CMS, the data elements include: enrollment information such as organization name, type, practice location addresses, National Provider Identifier (NPI), CMS Certification Number (CCN); detailed information about each owner such as whether it is an organization or an individual and whether it is a direct owner or indirect owner (that is, there is at least one subsidiary between it and the provider); and a numerical associate ID for each owner to enable linkage to the enrollment file.
In January of 2023, NHPCO joined with three other national hospice provider organizations to provide CMS and key Congressional stakeholders with recommended legislative and regulatory changes to strengthen hospice program integrity. Included in the 34 recommendations was a request for ownership disclosure for all hospices.
NHPCO’s call to action with CMS and Congressional leaders on program integrity led to a significant step in the right direction for the hospice community to ensure that only well-qualified hospice providers are permitted to care for, and support, beneficiaries and their families at the end of life. NHPCO and HAN will continue to work closely alongside CMS, legislators, and other national hospice provider organizations, to assess various options for continuing to improve program integrity in hospice care.
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About NHPCO
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) is the nation’s largest and oldest membership association for providers who care for people affected by serious and life-limiting illness. Our members deliver and expand access to high-quality, person-centered interdisciplinary care to millions of Americans. NHPCO provides education and resources to support that mission. Together with our advocacy partner, the Hospice Action Network (HAN), we serve as the leading voice advancing public policy to improve serious-illness and end-of-life care, while our CaringInfo program provides free resources to educate and empower patients and caregivers. nhpco.org
NHPCO Contact:
Madison Summers
571-412-3973