The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 2024 home health rule includes plans to implement a hospice Special Focus Program, but some stakeholders contend that some aspects are flawed. Three of the largest hospice, home health and senior services advocacy groups submitted comments to CMS on the proposed rule — LeadingAge, the […]
Increased hospice oversight aimed at curbing fraud in the industry could come with a mixed bag of financial and operational impacts for providers. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has honed in on hospice program integrity, rolling out a swath of new measures to reduce fraud, waste and abuse in the space. […]
A coalition of industry groups has spoken out about the design of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) forthcoming Special Focus Program (SFP) for hospices. CMS initially pitched the idea in 2022 but instead convened a Technical Expert Panel (TEP) to further guide development. The TEP completed its work late last year, […]
Flaws exist in the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) auditing processes, a coalition of industry organizations indicated in a letter to the agency. The organizations pointed to “fundamental, long-standing” problems pertaining to the audit focus areas, overpayment recovery and adjudication processes, as well as auditor consistency and education. The organizations included LeadingAge, […]
Hospices seeking to gauge the potential impact of new regulatory actions in the space can look to their counterparts in the home health field. The steps that the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has put forth to strengthen hospice program integrity mirror rules implemented in years past for home health providers, including […]
The 2024 final hospice payment rule included a modest payment increase for general inpatient care (GIP) at a time when regulators are zeroing in on increased utilization and longer stays. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) included in the rule a 1.031% increase to hospice GIP services. Daily rates for general inpatient […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled a new payment model demonstration geared toward dementia-related illnesses, which are becoming more prevalent among hospice patients. The Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model is designed to improve the quality of life for dementia patients and their caregivers by addressing behavioral health and […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is giving hospices a 3.1% increase to their per diem payments for 2024, according to a final rule published Friday. That will translate to a $780 million bump to hospice payments next year compared to Fiscal Year 2023, according to CMS. The finalized rule also raises […]
Individuals in several states have been securing hospice licenses only to turn them around in a quick sale. A number of these hospices are accredited, prompting calls for greater oversight of organizations with deeming authority. A surge of newly licensed hospices has swelled in California, Arizona, Texas and Nevada. Many of these have been accused […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a requirement that would prohibit hospice owners from selling their businesses within 36 months of Medicare enrollment. The agency included these plans in its proposed home health rule for 2024. This is the latest step in the agency’s efforts to improve hospice program integrity […]
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