The Outlook for Care at Home in 2026

What does the care at home landscape look like in 2026? In this episode, Dr. Steve Landers, former CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home, shares his thoughts on the forces shaping care at home today and what providers should be preparing for as we move through the year.

Dr. Landers offers a candid look at hospice, home health, palliative care and home care. The discussion covers Medicare and Medicaid policy shifts, payment pressures, workforce realities, quality oversight, fraud prevention and the power of advocacy.

This episode also explores looking beyond short-term regulation, improving how the care at home story is told and preparing for a future where access, sustainability and patient-centered care are connected.

Listen to hear about:

• Hospice trends in 2026, including length of stay, live discharges and quality reporting under HOPE
• The state of home health reimbursement, PDGM pressures and the impact of recent CMS rate decisions
• Medicaid funding uncertainty and what it could mean for home and community-based services
• Medicare Advantage dynamics, supplemental home care and ongoing concerns about including hospice benefits within Medicare Advantage plans
• Why advocacy, grassroots engagement and storytelling are critical to protecting access and sustainability

If you want to hear more episodes like this one, look for the Netsmart CareThreads podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!