On April 21, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued FY 2017 Hospice (CMS 1652-P) proposed rule. CMS proposes a 2.0 percent payment increase in FY 2017, based on an estimated 2.8 percent inpatient hospital market basket update, reduced by a 0.5 percentage point productivity adjustment and by a 0.3 percentage point adjustment set by the Affordable Care Act.
Hospice Cap
For accounting years that end after September 30, 2016, and before October 1, 2025, the hospice cap is updated by the hospice payment update percentage rather than using the consumer price index (CPI-U). The hospice cap amount for the 2017 cap year will be $28,377.17, which is equal to the 2016 cap amount ($27,820.75) updated by the FY 2017 hospice payment update percentage of 2.0 percent. The 2017 cap year will start on October 1, 2016, and end on September 30, 2017.
Hospice CAHPS® Survey
This proposed rule provides a description of the Hospice CAHPS® Survey, including the model of survey implementation, the survey respondents, eligibility criteria for the sample, and the languages in which the survey is offered, among other details. The proposed rule also outlines participation requirements for the FY 2019 and FY 2020 annual payment updates requiring hospices to collect survey data on an ongoing basis beginning January 1, 2017, in order to receive the full annual payment update. Public display of the survey results will not occur until CMS has collected at least four quarters of data. CMS anticipates that public display of the data will occur during CY 2017.
Hospice Compare
CMS expects to begin public reporting in a Compare site in CY 2017. In addition, CMS expects to post hospice demographic data on a public use file in late spring/early summer 2016.
Hospice Quality Reporting Program
CMS proposes adding two new quality measures for FY 2017 to the hospice quality reporting program:
Hospice Visits When Death is Imminent: will assess hospice staff visits to patients and caregivers in the last week of life.
Hospice and Palliative Care Composite Process Measure: will assess the percentage of hospice patients who received care processes consistent with guidelines and based on select measures from the seven that are currently being submitted under the Hospice QRP (Pain Screening, Pain Assessment, Dyspnea Treatment, Patients Treated with an Opioid who are given a Bowel Regimen, and Treatment Preferences & Beliefs/Values Addressed if desired by patient).
Public comments on the proposal will be accepted until June 20, 2016.