Medicare Program; FY 2022 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update, Hospice Conditions of Participation Updates, Hospice and Home Health Quality Reporting Program Requirements
medicare · Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services · Rule · Published 2021-08-04 · Effective 2021-10-01 · 86 FR 42528
Document
Document number
2021-16311
Federal Register citation
86 FR 42528
CFR reference
42 CFR 418
Type
Rule
Action
Final rule.
Category
medicare
Sub-agency
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Publication date
2021-08-04
Effective date
2021-10-01
HHS docket
CMS-1754-F
Abstract
This final rule updates the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for Fiscal Year 2022. This rule makes changes to the labor shares of the hospice payment rates and finalizes clarifying regulations text changes to the election statement addendum that was implemented on October 1, 2020. In addition, this rule makes permanent selected regulatory blanket waivers that were issued to Medicare-participating hospice agencies during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and updates the hospice conditions of participation. This rule updates the Hospice Quality Reporting Program and finalizes changes beginning with the January 2022 public reporting for the Home Health Quality Reporting Program to address exceptions related to the COVID-19 PHE.