Late April 8, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed FY2022 Hospice Payment Rule containing a wide array of new policies that may shape the hospice landscape for years to come. These changes include revisions to the labor shares of the hospice payment rates, updates to the hospice election statement addendum requirements, inclusion of a new Hospice Care Index (HCI) as part of the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP), creation of a star rating program for the Hospice CAHPS, making some COVID-related blanket waivers permanent, and numerous other provisions. The rule also seeks the public’s input on a number of issues related to quality measures and hospice care. During this session, hospice experts from the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) will provide in-depth details on various aspects of the rule and insights into their potential impact on hospice payment and quality.
Learning objectives:
- Outline hospice payment changes resulting from the proposed rule
- Describe clarifications to the election statement addendum requirements
- Describe proposed changes to the HQRP, including addition of a Hospice Care Index Measure and star rating for hospice CAHPS, and removal of the seven HIS measures from Compare
- Provide an update on the HVLDL measure and development and implementation of HOPE
- Insights into potential future directions related to CMS’ approach to quality, including movement toward digital quality measures, potential application of IMPACT Act measures to hospice care, and closing the health equity gap in post-acute quality reporting programs
Faculty:
- Theresa M. Forster, VP for Hospice Policy & Programs, NAHC
- Katie Wehri, Director of Home Care & Hospice Regulatory Affairs, NAHC
All listed times are for the Eastern Time Zone