CMS Renews The Joint Commission's Authority to Certify Medicare Home Health Agencies Through 2032

On July 10, 2026, CMS published a formal notice in the Federal Register confirming The Joint Commission's continued authority to accredit home health agencies for participation in Medicare and Medicaid. The approval runs from March 31, 2026 through March 31, 2032, a six-year extension. Agencies accredited by The Joint Commission receive deemed status, meaning CMS treats that accreditation as proof of compliance with its Conditions of Participation and does not require a separate government survey of each agency. The renewal coincided with the July 1, 2026 effective date of updated CMS Conditions of Participation for home health agencies using Joint Commission deemed status. New requirements include policies specifying which patients an agency will accept and a public disclosure obligation covering any limits on the type, duration, or frequency of specialty services offered. Home health care under Medicare covers skilled nursing visits, physical and occupational therapy, speech services, and wound care when ordered by a physician and delivered in a beneficiary's home. More than 11,000 Medicare-certified home health agencies operate nationwide, and the accreditation framework is a central quality-assurance mechanism for the millions of beneficiaries who rely on these services each year.