Wages for hospice clinicians continue to go up amid widespread staff shortages, but they grew at a slower rate in 2023 compared to the prior year. The national average hourly rate for Hospice registered nurses rose 4.58% in 2023, down from a 5.95% increase in 2022, according to a new report by the Hospital & […]
The U.S. Senate Finance Committee is holding a markup meeting today on a bill that would, among other provisions, reallocate close to $1 billion hospice dollars to other programs. When it comes to legislation, a few words can make a big difference. A couple of sentences in a 120-page set of amendments to the Social […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its 2024 home health rule, including the implementation of a hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). The rule also finalizes the proposed “36-month”rule for hospice providers. The requirement mirrors a regulation that has existed for several years for home health agencies. The final rule forbids […]
Four members of Congress led by Reps. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) have called for changes to the forthcoming Special Focus Program (SFP) from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) were also signatories on the letter to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure and […]
Hospice will continue to be in a state of flux this year and next, with a heavy focus on regulation and supporting and growing the workforce, according to Ben Marcantonio, COO and interim CEO for the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). The coming year may also be a time of significant change for […]
While the hospice community has generally embraced the concept of a Special Focus Program (SFP) to address quality concerns, some are troubled by the government’ methodology for identifying providers. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to launch the program in 2024, according to language included in the agency’s proposed home health […]
The four largest hospice industry organizations have been working to present a united front to address widespread program integrity issues. As those problems proliferate, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC), LeadingAge and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) have been speaking […]
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, […]
As Jimmy Carter marks his sixth month in hospice care, the provider community is raising awareness by saluting the former president. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) convened a group of hospice leaders at Times Square in New York City to commemorate Carter’s hospice experience. Some hospice executives have said they believe that […]
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, […]
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