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Hospice Crackdown: Vance Task Force Halts $1.4B in Suspected Medicare Fraud

By Dan Gooding Newsweek
Vance. Vice President JD Vance speaks beside Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz during a news conference in the Old Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)
Vance. Vice President JD Vance speaks beside Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz during a news conference in the Old Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner) Tom Brenner AP

The federal government has imposed a six-month nationwide freeze on new hospice and home health providers in Medicare as part of a sweeping crackdown on fraud.

In coordination with Vice President JD Vance's anti-fraud task force, the move is intended to stop fraudulent operators from entering the system and strengthen oversight of existing providers in a sector flagged as high risk. While current providers can continue serving patients, the moratorium could reshape access to care and has drawn concern from industry groups warning it may limit services in some areas.

This is a breaking news article. Updates to follow.

Vice President JD Vance speaks beside Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz during a news conference in the Old Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner)
Vice President JD Vance speaks beside Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz during a news conference in the Old Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner) Tom Brenner AP

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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 11:35 AM.

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