Comment Period for CMS’ Proposed 2020 Hospice Payment Rates Ends Soon

Last month, CMS released a new proposed rule, CMS-1714-P, which contained bad news for most hospice providers.

If finalized as written, this rule would cut reimbursement for routine home care by 2.7%. This cut will “pay” for a 2.7% increase to reimbursement for continuous home care, inpatient care, and inpatient respite care. Most small hospices stand to lose thousands of dollars in reimbursement.

Additionally, the proposed rule would create a new addendum to the hospice election statement. This addendum would include a list and explanation of services, drugs, etc. that the hospice has determined to be unrelated to the patient’s terminal illness. Hospice providers would be required to provide this addendum upon request from CMS, with nursing staff bearing the brunt of the workload.

We encourage all hospice providers to take a few moments and let CMS know about the negative impact these changes will have on your staff and your patients. It’s harder to silence many voices, and CMS has redrafted proposals many times in the past. You can read the full proposal and submit your comment here. The comment period ends on June 18th.

We discuss this proposal in greater detail in our most recent issue of Hospice Today. If you would like to receive a free copy, contact us today!