Description
The National Alliance for Care at Home will host a timely webinar reviewing CMS’s FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update Proposed Rule, released on April 2, 2026. This session will walk through the proposed 2.4% hospice payment update, changes to the hospice cap amount, new oversight tools including the Service and Spending Variation Index (SSVI), updates to HQRP and HOPE reporting, and significant policy proposals affecting hospice operations and compliance. Participants will also hear analysis of CMS’s requests for information and key issues to consider when preparing comments ahead of the June 1, 2026 deadline.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain the key provisions of CMS’s FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update Proposed Rule, including proposed payment updates and changes to hospice payment caps.
- Describe new and evolving hospice oversight, quality reporting, and transparency policies, including the Service and Spending Variation Index (SSVI), HQRP and HOPE reporting updates, and proposed Medicare.gov Compare compliance indicators.
- Discuss operational, compliance, and policy considerations for hospices, including election statement addendum requirements, telehealth policy changes, and priority issues for stakeholder comments ahead of the June 1, 2026 deadline.