If your plan was to open a Medicare-certified home health agency or hospice this year, the ground has shifted. Since 13 May 2026, CMS has paused new Medicare enrollment for home health agencies and hospices nationwide, with the freeze running through at least November 2026. But that pause is not a reason to wait — it’s a reason to start in the right place.
What’s still wide open
The moratorium applies to Medicare enrollment. It does not touch the parts of the market where most new owners should begin anyway:
- State-licensed non-medical home care — personal care, personal assistance, homemaker-companion, and private home care, depending on your state.
- Private-pay services — families paying directly for care, with no Medicare billing involved.
- Medicaid and managed-care pathways in many states.
These routes are open today, carry a lower barrier to entry, and let you start serving clients and generating revenue while the Medicare door is closed.
Why private-pay first is often the smarter sequence
Even without a moratorium, building a strong private-pay or non-medical operation first is frequently the better way in. You learn your market, build referral relationships, prove your care model, and establish clean documentation — all before you take on the weight of Medicare certification. When enrollment reopens, you move from a position of strength rather than starting cold.
Use this window to get ahead
When the freeze lifts, new applicants will face the highest level of screening for six months. The agencies that move fastest will be the ones that are already audit-ready: clean structure, complete policies, and documentation that holds up to scrutiny. This window is for preparation, not idling.
Get the order right
The most expensive mistake we see is spending money in the wrong sequence — chasing a certification that’s paused, or a license your state doesn’t even issue. A clear roadmap for your state and service type fixes that before it costs you months.
That’s exactly where we help: we tell you plainly what you can launch now, what to prepare for later, and how to be first in line when Medicare enrollment reopens — with pricing published up front and no surprises.
Not sure what you can launch right now? Book a Discovery Call and we’ll map what’s open in your state and how to prepare for Medicare when it returns. If your situation isn’t a fit for us, we’ll tell you who can help.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the position as of mid-2026. Moratorium dates and rules can change; we confirm the current status as part of every project.
