Federal officials have delayed enforcement of a new grievance system for people who use Medicaid home and community-based services until Dec. 31, 2027. The requirement, part of the Access Rule for fee-for-service Medicaid, had been due in July 2026. Disability Scoop reported the delay on April 17, 2026.
What the rule requires and what changed
The 2024 Access Rule requires states to set up a grievance process so people in traditional fee-for-service Medicaid can file complaints against a provider or the state when they have trouble getting the HCBS in their service plan. The requirement was due to apply July 9, 2026, but CMS said in a bulletin that it will take no enforcement action until Dec. 31, 2027. CMS cited states that said they could not meet the deadline, partly because of time needed to change electronic systems. Alison Barkoff, who led the Administration for Community Living under President Biden, urged states to use the extra time to build grievance systems that integrate with incident management.
Why this matters for providers and DSPs
The grievance system will eventually give people a formal way to complain about providers, including over restricted visitors or community access. Agencies can use the delay to review their own complaint and incident processes.