CMS-1844-P

CMS issued a proposed rule [CMS-1844-P] that proposes routine updates to the Medicare home health payment rates; discusses the behavior adjustment and proposes a temporary behavior adjustment and proposes to recalibrate the case-mix weights and update the functional impairment levels; comorbidity subgroups; and low-utilization payment adjustment (LUPA) thresholds for CY 2027. Additionally, this proposed rule discusses the provision of home health palliative care services and includes a request for information (RFI) on a home health specific wage index. In addition, this proposed rule proposes changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) and provide updates for the expanded Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model requirements. Lastly, this proposed rule proposes to clarify the application of the DMEPOS face-to-face encounter requirements for the replacement of DMEPOS items; make changes to the provider and supplier enrollment requirements; make changes regarding DME benefit expansion for infusion pumps and drugs; and discuss collection of information requirement changes regarding the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) country of origin.

The CY 2027 HH PPS proposed rule with comment went on display at the Office of the Federal Register’s Public Inspection Desk on July 1, 2026, and will be available until the regulation is published on July 6, 2026. The comment due date is August 31, 2026. See CMS-1844-P in the “Related Links” section below.