Home Care Voice Blog

The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs has issued guidance for Health Care Service Firms (HCSFs) regarding the upcoming September 2026 registration renewal cycle.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed House Bill 4612 into law, strengthening consumer protections for residents seeking home care services. ​

An effort to fix outdated audit rules for New Jersey home care providers just reached the finish line. ​

Massachusetts is on the verge of a major milestone for the home care industry. The Massachusetts Legislature has approved legislation establishing a statewide licensure framework for home care providers, and the bill is expected to be signed into law by the Governor in the coming days.

The legislation, S.3170, creates a phased implementation process that will provide time for both providers and state agencies to prepare for the transition to licensure.

Key implementation timelines include:

• Within 180 days of enactment: Temporary licenses will be issued to Medicaid providers.
• Within one year: The state must develop and finalize regulations governing the licensure program.
• One year after regulations are finalized: Home care agencies will be required to obtain licensure.

​While many details will be determined during the regulatory process, this legislation represents an important step toward establishing a formal licensing structure for home care providers in Massachusetts. Providers should watch for future guidance from the Commonwealth as regulations are developed and implementation moves forward.

Members interested in reviewing the legislation can access the enrolled bill text by visiting the Massachusetts Legislature's bill history page for S.3170 and selecting "View Text."

Legislation to modernize financial reporting and audit requirements for New Jersey home care agencies has passed the state legislature with unanimous, bipartisan support and now awaits Gov. Mikie Sherrill's signature.

The Florida Department of Health has shared a practical resource for home care agencies: a list of the most common reasons Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans (CEMPs) are returned for revision. The observations come directly from the plan review process, and they offer a useful checklist for agencies preparing to submit or update their plans. ​

The New Jersey Legislature continues to move forward with legislation that would make several significant updates to the State’s regulatory framework governing health care service firms, including many private duty home care agencies operating in New Jersey.

Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a six-month nationwide moratorium on enrolling new home health and hospice agencies, the administration’s latest action to curb fraud, waste, and abuse. ​

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking public comment on proposed updates to the Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Quality Measure Set for 2028. You can read the official notice from CMS here. Comments from the public are due on May 28, 2026.

HCAOA ​submitted formal comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services March 30 in response to its Request for Information on its CRUSH initiative — short for Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare — which seeks public input on new regulations to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in federal health care programs.

​HCAOA Connecticut has advocated for years for a Medicaid rate increase for home care.
 
The legislature’s Human Services Committee heard those calls and approved House Bill 5561 unanimously on March 19.

Families caring for medically fragile children and adults rely on continuous skilled nursing services to keep their loved ones safe at home. Yet Medicaid’s policies governing these essential services haven’t kept pace with the changing needs of patients, caregivers, or providers. Outdated language, inconsistent regulatory expectations, and unclear quality standards have created barriers that directly impact access to care

Federal policy decisions are increasingly shaping the future of home care, making a strong and credible presence in Washington, D.C., more important than ever. HCAOA is bringing our network together for an exclusive briefing to connect Advocacy Fund supporters with the policy insight and advocacy strategy driving our work on Capitol Hill.

As we head into 2026, we’re bringing our network together for a Chapter Town Hall on February 19 at 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. EST focused on shared priorities, advocacy momentum, and what’s coming next for home care.

HCAOA is pleased to invite Advocacy Fund contributors to an exclusive Capitol Club Advocacy Briefing on January 22 from 3:00–3:30 PM ET featuring Congressman Mike Carey (R-OH-15), sponsor of the Credit for Caring Act. This 30-minute briefing will offer members a firsthand look at the legislative outlook for caregiver tax credits and other federal priorities impacting home care directly from a leader shaping the conversation in Congress.