Medicare Program; FY 2023 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements

On Wednesday March 30, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued Medicare Program; FY 2023 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements (https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2022-07030/medicare-program-fy-2023-hospice-wage-index-and-payment-rate-update-and-hospice-quality-reporting), the proposed rule governing hospice payment and other policies for fiscal year (FY) 2023.  The rule included:

  • A proposed 2.7% payment update for hospice services for the coming year;

  • Proposed imposition of a permanent 5% cap on reductions in wage index values from one year to the next (a policy CMS is proposing for all Medicare institutional providers);

  • A request for input on specific steps hospices are taking to advance health equity and views on creation of a structural composite measure that would assess a provider’s activities to address access to and quality of care for underserved populations;

  • Updates on elements of the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP); and a

  • An update on Advancing Health Information Exchange.

Becky Crabtree