On April 27, 2018 CMS posted the FY2019 Hospice Wage Index Proposed Rule for public inspection. This begins the official 60 day comment period. View the proposed rule which is available on the Federal Register website (PDF).
The proposed rule will officially publish in the Federal Register on May 8, 2018.
Initial notes of interest to hospice providers, this rule proposes:
• updates to the hospice payment rates for fiscal year (FY) 2019, as required under section 1814(i) of the Social Security Act (the Act).
• proposes conforming regulations text changes that, effective January 1, 2019., physician assistants (PAs) will be recognized as designated hospice attending physicians, in addition to physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Finally, this rule proposes changes to the hospice quality reporting program (HQRP).
Organizations like National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization will submit comprehensive comments after staff review the proposed rule.
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