Many home health patients seeking care today rely on Medicare to get the support they need. That means any change to the amount paid through Medicare (or the services covered) can lead to significant challenges in patient care access. Workflows can be altered, patients can lose access to care or find it more difficult to get care, and healthcare providers may find it more difficult to plan for their careers in the long term.
As we look ahead this year, proposed changes to Medicare could deeply affect the landscape of home health care. Choosing a career in home health has many benefits, but these shifts bring both uncertainty and the need for adaptation. By understanding upcoming changes, home health professionals can better prepare themselves and their patients for what lies ahead in 2026 and beyond.
What Is Medicare, and Why Does It Matter?
Medicare is a federally funded health insurance program. It’s used by over 66 million people in the United States. Most are elderly (65 or older), but many younger individuals also use it for their serious medical conditions. Those who qualify for Medicare typically include:
- People 65 and older
- People under 65 with qualifying disabilities
- Those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Unlike Medicaid, a joint state and federal program that provides health coverage, Medicare is not income-based.
To better understand why Medicare matters, it’s necessary to look at how it works and what it provides. Medicare is broken down into four different parts:
- Part A: Coverage for inpatient care in hospitals and limited home healthcare services
- Part B: Coverage for preventive and outpatient care
- Part C: Medicare Advantage, a type of bundled coverage that includes private insurance or additional benefits
- Part D: Coverage for prescription drugs
Home health care largely works with Medicare Part A and Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. These dictate the eligibility for skilled home health services, which many disabled, chronically ill, and elderly individuals need. Part A and Part C, specifically, can determine the number and frequency of visits allowed as well as set care coordination expectations.
Key Medicare Updates in 2026
It’s important to keep an eye on potential changes coming in 2026, including the largest cut to the Medicare home health payment rate that has ever been proposed. The final rule will impact home health agencies, which can expect to see a 1.3% cut to aggregate Medicare payments. This is much less than the initially proposed 6.4%, but it is still significant enough to make an impact on care.
What’s important to note about these cuts is that any reduction in reimbursements directly affects providers and their ability to serve the patients who rely on their care at home. And, while the cut for 2026 is a lower cut than was expected, it still means that $220 million less is being offered in reimbursements.
Implications for Home Health Care and Providers
For home health professionals, Medicare policy changes are not abstract rulings. Instead, they directly influence things like scheduling decisions, patient eligibility, and documentation requirements. That’s why it’s so important to stay up to date on any when it comes to Medicare.
Medicare cuts could require a review of how care is delivered and budget limitations. Cuts may include reduced staff, reduced hours, limitations on the number of patients that can be onboarded, etc. Reimbursement cuts, which have been ongoing since 2019, have already had a negative impact on staffing and agencies, which has led to closures. Additional cuts will continue to tighten constraints and, potentially, lead to staffing shortages.
Providers such as home health nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists are most likely to see the impact of changes to Medicare in their day-to-day workflows. Nurses and therapists may need to find ways to collaborate to improve efficiencies and change documentation to make clearer care plans that have measurable outcomes and results.
Implications for Home Health Patients
The unfortunate truth is that patients will see a negative impact from any cuts to Medicare. Patients can expect to see a reduction in access to care due to the cut, for example, and the home health agencies that they receive service from may not have as many resources as they did in the past. Patients may experience increased wait times to begin care, fewer available visits annually, and more difficulty accessing care that accepts new Medicare beneficiaries.
Medicare cuts have a direct impact on continuity of care, as well. For individuals who are managing chronic conditions or moving home after hospitalization, consistent, coordinated care services are typically needed to avoid complications from their illnesses or injuries. Unfortunately, Medicare cuts can stretch home health care to its limits and reduce resources for these patients at home, making it more challenging to maintain high visit frequency or interdisciplinary support.
For individuals with disabilities or chronic conditions and older adults, home health care is often a support that helps them maintain their independence and quality of life. Medicare cuts could reduce access to essential home health services, leading to increased emergency and hospital visits and reduce access to care options in patients’ homes.
SHC Supports Home Health Care Delivery
Supplemental Health Care understands that policy changes to Medicare can feel overwhelming and leave home healthcare providers wondering what comes next for their careers and patients. SHC supports home health and hospice professionals in a variety of disciplines and supports their careers every step of the way.
Healthcare professionals have access to home health care recruiters, a range of job opportunities, and supportive resources while working with SHC. So, whether you are navigating potential Medicare changes or exploring a new career path in home health, SHC is committed to providing care for providers along the way.
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