The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on April 27, 2023, that it will publicly release all ownership information of home health and hospice agencies. This move is aimed at increasing transparency and promoting accountability in the healthcare industry, and more specifically to enable reviewers to identify owners with negative performance histories. The information to be released will include the names of all individuals with an ownership interest in these agencies, their percentage of ownership, and their role in the company. Additional files include data on mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, and changes of ownership since 2016 for Medicare-enrolled hospices and home health agencies. Xavier Becerra, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, stated “Shining a light on ownership data is good for families, good for researchers, and good for enforcement agencies.” The new policy will apply to all home health and hospice agencies that participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs. While the effects of the increased transparency requirements can only be seen after implementation, CMS continues to build on its transparency efforts across multiple healthcare industries.

Nelson Mullins’ experienced healthcare team works to ensure their clients are up to date on proposed rulings and regulations. If you are interested in learning more about how these changes may affect you, please contact one of the authors.