Congresswoman Tenney Introduces Legislation to Crack Down on Medicare Home Health Fraud and Protect Seniors

October 13, 2026 Press Release Oswego, NY — Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) introduced the House companion to Senator Susan Collins' Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act, legislation to crack down on Medicare home health fraud, protect taxpayer dollars, and ensure seniors can continue receiving quality care in their own homes. Fraudulent Medicare claims can distort the data used to calculate payments to home health agencies, potentially reducing reimbursements for legitimate providers across the country. These concerns have grown as suspicious billing patterns and an unusually high concentration of home health agencies in Los Angeles County have drawn scrutiny. The Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act would strengthen provider screening, increase inspections of high-risk agencies, and give the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) additional tools to detect and prevent fraud before payments are made. The legislation would also address potentially distorted Medicare payment rates and require CMS to examine how fraudulent claims have affected reimbursements for legitimate home health providers. The legislation builds on Tenney's November 2025 letter to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz urging the agency to investigate fraudulent billing practices, correct potentially distorted payment data, and prevent further harm to seniors and home health providers. In her letter, Tenney highlighted suspicious billing patterns in Los Angeles County, which accounted for nearly 10 percent of nationwide Medicare home health spending in 2024 despite representing only about 2 percent of traditional Medicare beneficiaries. She also raised concerns about access to care in NY-24, where Medicare home health utilization declined by 39 percent between 2018 and 2024. “Home health care is a lifeline for seniors who want to remain safe and independent in their own homes,” said Congresswoman Tenney . “Fraudulent providers are stealing taxpayer dollars, undermining Medicare, and putting legitimate home health agencies at risk. Seniors in Upstate and Western New York should not lose access to care because of fraudulent billing schemes across the country. Last November, I called on CMS to address this problem, and now I am joining Senator Collins to advance legislation that strengthens oversight, roots out fraud, and protects fair reimbursement for honest providers. We must protect Medicare for the seniors who depend on it and the taxpayers who fund it.” Read the full bill here . ###