Situation Report | August 10, 2020
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently finalized its fiscal year (FY) 2021 rule for hospice. The rule is summarized in a new memo to providers from HCA Vice President for Finance and Management Patrick Conole.
The memo details the various rate calculations and payment policies, including a final FY 2021 aggregate cap amount of $30,683.93.
It also explains CMS’s hospice wage index statistical area delineations, including a 5 percent cap on wage index decreases, along with a detailed wage index table for New York in Appendix A.
HCA also summarizes the hospice election statement and addendum that was finalized during the FY 2020 rule cycle to become effective October 1, 2020. In its FY 2021 final rule, CMS has answered some questions that were received during the comment phase on the proposed rule, also summarized in the memo.
August 27 webinar
On August 27, HCA is sponsoring a webinar led by Melinda Gaboury, CEO and co-founder of Healthcare Provider Solutions, to review changes to the hospice election statement that go into effect October 2020, as well as the addendum requirements which demand that clinicians fully understand what is allowed and not allowed under the Medicare benefit.
This webinar will assist in full preparation for implementation of these new requirements.