CMS Published Final FY 2014 Hospice Wage Index

CMS finalized the FY 2014 Hospice wage index on Friday August 2, 2013.  It is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday August 7^th.   Hospice payments will increase by approximately 1.7 percent over current payment rates, subject to any changes in the state or local wage index rate changes.  The controversial elimination of Adult Failure To Thrive and Debility can no longer be used as primary hospice diagnosis, but CMS will delay returning claims to providers until October 1, 2014.

CMS will change the Hospice Quality Reporting beginning in FY 2016 by implementation of a standardized patient-level data collection instrument call the Hospice Item Set (HIS).  Hospices will be required to complete the HIS at admission and discharge on all patients admitted to hospice starting July 1, 2016.  HIS data submission would affect the payment determination for FY 2016.

The final rule also provides information about CMS’s efforts to develop a Hospice Experience of Care Survey for informal caregivers of hospice patients.  Hospice will be required to begin using the survey in 2015.  The survey will include questions on hospice provider communication with patients and families; hospice provider care; and overall rating of hospice.  CMS will include participation in the survey as a quality-reporting requirement for hospice to receive their full annual payment update beginning in FY 2017.

CMS provided updates on Medicare Hospice payment reform efforts, including a discussion of reform model options; highlights from recent reform research; and update on data collection efforts.

Temporary Link

https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2013-18838.pdf