What Does the New CMS Moratorium Mean for Indiana Home Health Agencies?

Q: If You Have an Existing IHCP-approved Indiana Home Health Agency and Submitted a Medicare Certification Application to CMS Before April 1, 2026

- You will need to contact IHCP and submit a date and time stamped documentation of proof that the agency submitted the CMS-855A form prior to April 1, 2026 - You will need to submit this documentation by June 30, 2026. You must submit the documentation via email to this email address: INXIXhomehealthsurvey@gainwelltechnologies.com. - The type of documentation you must provide depends on how you submitted your CMS-855A form. - If you submitted the form through the Medicare portal PECOS, you should screen capture your Tracking ID which will provide submission details. - If you submitted the CMS-855A on paper, by mail, you will need to submit a copy of the formal notification of receipt provided by the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). - Home Health Agencies that applied for Medicare Certification (CMS-855A) by April 1, 2026 and submit proof to IHCP by June 30, 2026, will have until June 30, 2027 to complete the Medicare enrollment process. This means they have another year to get certified and during this year (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) they can continue to be an IHCP provider and accept Medicaid. If the agency is STILL not Medicare enrolled by June 30, 2027, then they will be deactivated from the IHCP.

Q: If You Have an Existing IHCP-approved Indiana Home Health Agency and Have Either Never Submitted a Medicare Certification Application to CMS or You Submitted the Application After April 1, 2026

- According to IHCP Bulletin BT202647, any home health agency that did not apply for Medicare Certification before April 1, 2026 will be deactivated from the IHCP on July 1, 2026.

Q: If You Are Buying an Existing Indiana Home Health Agency

The situation depends on the type of ownership change. - Some ownership transactions may proceed normally - Certain changes in majority ownership may trigger Medicare enrollment requirements that are affected by the moratorium - Buyers and sellers should carefully review transaction structures with legal and regulatory advisors. Transaction planning has become more important than ever during this period.

ECSI staff

Jun 2

3 min read

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced a nationwide six-month moratorium on new Medicare enrollments for home health agencies and hospices. The moratorium took effect on May 13, 2026, as part of a broader effort to combat fraud, waste, and abuse within the Medicare program.

For Indiana home health agencies, the impact depends on where your organization stands today.

If You Already Have Medicare Certified Home Health Agency

Good news: existing Medicare-certified home health agencies can continue operating as usual. The moratorium does not affect agencies that are already enrolled in Medicare. You will be able to continue to accept Medicare and Indiana Medicaid.

If You Plan to Open a New Home Health Agency but Haven't Started Anything Yet

You can still apply for a Home Health Agency license with the Indiana Department of Health. However, you will not be able to be Medicaid or Medicare certified until after the CMS Moratorium has ended. This means you won't be able to accept Medicaid or Medicare funded clients. However, you can focus on private pay or other eligible payer sources, or you can wait until after the moratorium has lifted.

If You Have an Existing IHCP-approved Indiana Home Health Agency and Submitted a Medicare Certification Application to CMS Before April 1, 2026

You will need to contact IHCP and submit a date and time stamped documentation of proof that the agency submitted the CMS-855A form prior to April 1, 2026

You will need to submit this documentation by June 30, 2026. You must submit the documentation via email to this email address: INXIXhomehealthsurvey@gainwelltechnologies.com.

The type of documentation you must provide depends on how you submitted your CMS-855A form.

If you submitted the form through the Medicare portal PECOS, you should screen capture your Tracking ID which will provide submission details.

If you submitted the CMS-855A on paper, by mail, you will need to submit a copy of the formal notification of receipt provided by the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).

Home Health Agencies that applied for Medicare Certification (CMS-855A) by April 1, 2026 and submit proof to IHCP by June 30, 2026, will have until June 30, 2027 to complete the Medicare enrollment process. This means they have another year to get certified and during this year (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) they can continue to be an IHCP provider and accept Medicaid. If the agency is STILL not Medicare enrolled by June 30, 2027, then they will be deactivated from the IHCP.

If You Have an Existing IHCP-approved Indiana Home Health Agency and Have Either Never Submitted a Medicare Certification Application to CMS or You Submitted the Application After April 1, 2026

According to IHCP Bulletin BT202647, any home health agency that did not apply for Medicare Certification before April 1, 2026 will be deactivated from the IHCP on July 1, 2026.

If You Are Buying an Existing Indiana Home Health Agency

The situation depends on the type of ownership change.

Some ownership transactions may proceed normally
Certain changes in majority ownership may trigger Medicare enrollment requirements that are affected by the moratorium
Buyers and sellers should carefully review transaction structures with legal and regulatory advisors. Transaction planning has become more important than ever during this period.

Information is changing daily. Aspiring or Existing HHA providers are encouraged to contact Gainwell with specific questions. Click here for Gainwell contact info.