FY2019 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements

HFMA Executive Summary

For more information on these highlights from CMS’s proposed rule on Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Updates:

Impact
CMS estimates the overall impact of the proposed rule will be an increase of $340 million (1.8%) in Medicare payments to hospices during FY2019.

Regulatory Change 
CMS proposes expanding the definition of attending physicians for Medicare hospice beneficiaries to include physician assistants (PAs). Effective January 1, 2019, Medicare will pay services provided by PAs to Medicare beneficiaries who elect the hospice benefit and select a PA as their attending physician.

Change to Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP)
CMS proposes an eighth factor to consider when evaluating measures for removal from the HQRP measure set: the costs associated with a measure outweigh the benefit of its continued use in the program.

Additions to Hospice Compare Website
CMS proposes adding the HIS-based Hospice Comprehensive Assessment Measure (NQF#3235) and Hospice Visits When Death Is Imminent Measure Pair.  

Request for Information
CMS requests suggestions for consideration in the Conditions of Participation related to ways to achieve better interoperability or to improve the sharing of healthcare data between providers. 

Comments on the proposed rule are due by June 26, 2018.