BrightStar Care Announces Successful First Half of 2026
The company has signed more than 20 franchise agreements & named a new CEO in the first six months

CHICAGO—BrightStar Care, a provider of nurse-led home healthcare, skilled care and medical staffing, announced it is heading into the second half of 2026 having signed more than 20 franchise agreements and opened 19 new locations in the first six months of the year.

The company said its growth in 2026 continues to reflect rising demand for in-home care, which is raising awareness of the opportunity among prospective owners. 

Drive Medical Launches New Smart Care Line for DME Market
The Unbound IQ line includes the WalkWise & NexStride, new brands of digital health & technology solutions

PORT WASHINGTON, New York—Drive Medical, a manufacturer of durable medical equipment and accessibility solutions, launched Unbound IQ by Drive, its new brand of digital health and tech-enabled solutions. The company said Unbound IQ helps providers support patients with clinically informed technology and data-driven insights that support earlier, more proactive care decisions.

New Mexico, Texas Legislation to Reverse Veterans’ Home Healthcare Rate Cuts Introduced
The amendment aims to ensure better access to care for veterans across New Mexico & Texas

NEW MEXICO—Newly introduced legislation aims to reverse rate cuts for veterans’ home healthcare services and require congressional notification of any future reductions. The National Defense Authorization Act’s Senate Amendment 6414, recently introduced by U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, would restore funding for veterans’ homecare services in Texas and New Mexico slashed by the Trump administration at the beginning of the year. 

Rehab Medical Announces 3 New Vice President Promotions
A new VP of field operations, VP of marketing and VP of revenue cycle were named

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana–Rehab Medical, a provider of complex rehab technology (CRT), announced the promotions of Ryan Weinrich to vice president of field operations, Matt Gottfried to vice president of marketing and Amanda Andis to vice president of revenue cycle management. These newly created leadership roles are part of 33 promotions that have occurred across the company in the first half of 2026.

Indiana Implements Moratorium on Home- and Community-Based Services
The Indiana Health Coverage Programs has approved a 6-month moratorium on HCBS 1915(c) waiver providers, effective Aug. 1, to address fraud & abuse

INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana Health Coverage Programs (IHCP) has received approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) to implement a statewide provider certification and enrollment moratorium on home- and community-
based services (HCBS) 1915(c) waiver providers. 

Helper Heroes Appoints Jennifer Battista as Chief Strategic Partnerships & Growth Officer
Battista was formerly the chief operating officer of the Home Care Association of America

NASHVILLE, Tennessee—Helper Heroes, a virtual assistant staffing provider dedicated exclusively to the homecare sector, appointed Jennifer Battista as chief strategic partnerships & growth officer. In this executive role, Battista will look to spearhead the company's national growth strategy, scale its partnership ecosystem and help homecare agencies maximize operational efficiency through specialized offshore staffing solutions.

Village Caregiving Opens 7 New Locations
The homecare agency has also created 160 jobs to help support seniors across its 22 states

BARBOURSVILLE, West Virginia—Village Caregiving (VCG), a privately-owned homecare agency in the United States, said it has expanded nationally in the first half of 2026 by opening seven new locations, expanding into Massachusetts and Montana for the first time and creating 160 new caregiving jobs.