FY 2023 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update Proposed Rule Summary

On April 4, 2022, CMS published in the Federal Register (87 FR 19442) a proposed rule updating the Medicare hospice payment rates, wage index, the cap amount, and the quality reporting requirements for federal fiscal year 2023. Among other changes, this rule proposes a permanent, budget neutral approach to smooth year- to-year changes in the hospice wage index by applying a permanent cap on negative wage index changes greater than a 5 percent decrease from the prior year. This rule also proposes updates to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program, including an update on the development of a patient assessment instrument, titled the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation tool. In addition, the proposed rule includes updates on the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems and a request for information on health equity. Comments on the proposed rule are due by May 31, 2022.