Medicare Fraud, HME Compliance, and Protecting Patient Access

Published in Member Communities on April 22, 2026

As scrutiny across the home medical equipment (HME) industry increases, and a CMS moratorium on new DMEPOS enrollments continues to shape access, providers must learn to strike a careful balance: proactively supporting Medicare fraud prevention efforts while clearly demonstrating the value, compliance, and integrity of legitimate providers who put patient care first.

Building Trust Across the Healthcare Ecosystem

This is where storytelling, collaboration, and transparency matter more than ever. Providers can help reinforce the essential role HME plays in the continuum of care by:

Sharing real patient care stories
Collaborating with industry and state HME associations
Highlighting how compliant home medical equipment services drive cost savings, improved outcomes, and reduced hospitalizations

To support these efforts, VGM has reintroduced its Fraud, Waste, & Abuse Reporting Center to simplify Medicare fraud reporting and reinforce the compliance standards reputable providers uphold every day.

More importantly, it helps providers show how timely and effective home medical equipment is:

Protects patient access
Prevents higher-acuity and higher-cost care
Strengthens the future of the HME industry

Read the original article from HME News below or click here:

HME’s Two-Part Challenge: Report Fraud, Tell Story

This article was written by Liz Beaulieu, originally featured in HME News.

VGM Government Relations has reintroduced a fraud resource center to make it easier for industry stakeholders to help remove bad actors from the home medical equipment (HME) industry. But Ike Isaacson, senior vice president of government and regulatory relations, wants to be clear: The industry wants to not only acknowledge fraud in the Medicare program but also recognize the good actors that make up most of the industry.

HME News: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a six-month moratorium on new Medicare enrollments for DMEPOS providers in late February. Shortly after, VGM reintroduced its fraud resource center, which includes direct links to federal and state reporting pages. Why?

Ike Isaacson: I want people to feel comfortable starting the process of making the federal government and the states aware. The message is not: It’s your job to investigate. But – and I hate this saying, because it’s cliché – if you see something, say something. If we can make that process easier, we’ll continue to weed out the folks who are suspect.

HME: What is the impact of the increased spotlight on fraud in HME right now?

Isaacson: It’s creating an environment of distrust and skepticism, while our members are the gold standard, the people who are doing it right every day. It creates barriers to patients, which is one of my frustrations.

HME: How should the industry, on the one hand, help to reduce fraud and, on the other hand, kind of stick up for itself?

Isaacson: In every venue I can, I’m saying, “We don’t want this stuff going on, either; but let’s also recognize the amazing value and efficacy that our members provide.” I see our role as to report fraud, but also, on top of that, tell our story. It’s not just on a legislative level. There are so many civic organizations, so you can make sure your community knows what you’re doing and how you’re a resource. It’s a two-part challenge.

HME: How do providers tell their story?

Issacson: It has to be part of your operating plan; it has to be part of your day-to-day. You have to be a storyteller. Also, you have to work alongside VGM, AAHomecare, NCART, and CQRC – the industry organizations – to make sure you’re highlighting all the amazing work you’re doing.

HME: What’s the story that’s most important to tell?

Issacson: How much you save the healthcare system overall. If you’re not there, where are these people going? They’re going into skilled-nursing facilities, into hospitals, generally higher-acuity, higher-pay services. And that speaks to the priorities of the administration – cost savings, better health outcomes.

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