For the first time, detailed information on the ownership of more than 6,000 hospice and 11,000 home health agencies certified to participate in the Medicare program is listed on the CMS website regardless of any change in ownership, according to an April 20 HHS news release.
Data elements include enrollment information such as organization name, type, practice location addresses, National Provider Identifier and CMS Certification Number; information about each owner such as whether it is an organization or an individual and whether it is a direct or indirect owner; and a numerical associate ID for each owner to enable linkage to the enrollment file. Additionally, files include data on mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, and changes of ownership since 2016.
“It’s plain and simple: Families deserve transparency when making decisions about hospice and home healthcare for their loved ones,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the release. “President Biden has called for unprecedented action to increase transparency — and we are making more data publicly available than ever before. Shining a light on ownership data is good for families, good for researchers, and good for enforcement agencies.”
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