Protect Home Health Care: The Cuts, the Costs, and the Comeback

About this Episode

When home health agencies close, it affects more than providers—it changes how patients receive care.

In this episode of Who Cares, hosts Elyssa Katz and Dr. Steve Landers discuss the ongoing challenges around Medicare home health funding and the work being done to keep care accessible for millions of Americans who depend on it. They trace how years of federal payment reductions have led to fewer agencies, longer wait times, and limited access to essential services, and share how the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is working toward practical solutions

Listeners will learn what’s behind the proposed 9% Medicare payment adjustment for 2026, why it represents more than $1 billion in funding changes, and how these reductions would impact providers and families across the country. Dr. Landers explains how the Home Health Stabilization Act of 2025 could help pause future cuts to allow the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to redo their flawed payment approach, remove fraudulent data, and ensure fairness and sustainability. He also clarifies how program calculations are made and why accurate data matters.

Key themes include improving access to care in rural and underserved areas, ensuring accurate data in Medicare funding decisions, and mobilizing advocacy that supports patients and providers alike. The hosts also spotlight bipartisan members of Congress, including Rep. Kevin Hern and Rep. Terri Sewell, who have introduced legislation designed to strengthen and stabilize home health care for the future.

Whether you’re a provider, policymaker, or advocate, this episode offers a clear look at how policy decisions shape patient access and what steps are being taken to preserve care in the home setting

Because protecting home health is ultimately about helping people recover and live well in the place they know best—home.