The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is currently accepting public comments on the Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HHPPS) Proposed Rule — one of the most consequential federal policy proposals affecting Medicare-certified home health agencies this year.

While the proposed rule includes a wide range of payment, quality, and program integrity provisions, one message is clear: CMS needs to hear directly from providers delivering care in patients' homes.

For Florida agencies, this is an opportunity to explain how the proposal would affect your patients, workforce, operations, and ability to provide care in your community.

HCAF Has Made Participating Easy

Writing a federal regulatory comment may sound intimidating — but it doesn't have to be.

To help members participate, HCAF has developed five customizable comment templates that agencies can personalize in just a few minutes. Simply select the issue(s) most relevant to your organization, add your agency's own experiences and examples, and submit your comments directly to CMS through HCAF's Legislative Action Center.

The templates address:

• The proposed 3% temporary Medicare payment reduction
• Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) recalibration and its effect on reimbursement and patient access
• Provider enrollment, retroactive revocations, and expanded enforcement authorities
• Community-based palliative care under the Medicare home health benefit
• Development of a home health-specific wage index

You do not need to comment on every provision. In fact, CMS often finds agency-specific comments focused on a few key issues more valuable than lengthy, generic submissions.

Why Your Comments Matter

Federal regulators review and consider stakeholder comments before issuing a final rule.

Your firsthand experience helps CMS understand the real-world impact of its proposals in ways that national data alone cannot. Whether it's workforce shortages, rising operating costs, challenges serving rural communities, administrative burden, or barriers to accepting complex patients, your perspective helps demonstrate how federal policy affects access to care.

The stronger and more diverse the provider response, the stronger the case for changes before the rule is finalized.

Don't Wait Until the Deadline

Comments must be submitted by August 31, 2026.

Waiting until the final days often means the opportunity gets lost among competing priorities. HCAF's templates are designed so your agency can prepare and submit meaningful comments quickly while still ensuring they reflect your unique experience.

Every comment strengthens the collective voice of Florida's home health community.

Take Action Today

Click here to visit the HCAF Legislative Action Center to access the customizable comment templates, personalize your message, and submit your comments directly to CMS.

HCAF also welcomes agency-specific data and recommendations for consideration in its formal comments. Send feedback to Kyle Simon, Senior Director of Policy, Advocacy & Communications, at ksimon@homecarefla.org at your earliest convenience.

Together, we can advocate for Medicare policies that protect patient access, support providers, and strengthen home health care across Florida.