The Hospice world has been rocked over recent weeks by proposals with the potential to substantially alter delivery of hospice services to terminally ill patients and their loved ones. These include:
- A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcement in late January of its plans to “test” hospice as part of the Medicare Advantage (MA) benefit package starting in Calendar Year 2021 and
- A FY2020 hospice payment rule that, among other things:
- Proposes increased base payments for General Inpatient Care (GIP), Inpatient Respite (IRC) and Continuous Home Care (CHC) and a 2.71 percent reduction in Routine Home Care (RHC)
- Proposes significant new requirements by expanding the hospice election statement and creation of an election statement addendum outlining items and services that are “unrelated” to the terminal illness and related conditions and
- Requests ideas for inclusion of hospice in alternative payment models (including Medicare Advantage) and for better coordination of end-of-life care.
It is vital that all hospice stakeholders have a thorough understanding of these proposals and the full implications they may have for hospice patients, providers, and the hospice benefit. As part of this webinar, National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) experts will provide an in-depth overview of these and related changes.
Program Objectives:
- Describe CMS’ plans to test hospice as a MA benefit and the potential risks associated with the proposal
- Discuss CMS’ interest in exploring ways to include hospice benefits in a variety of alternative payment arrangements
- Understand the proposed “rebasing” of GIP, IRC, and CHC and the impact of reducing RHC payments to finance these changes
- Outline the proposed new requirements associated with an expanded hospice election statement and a new addendum on unrelated services and understand new burdens associated with these changes
- Outline other key “takeaways” in the proposed FY2020 Hospice Payment Rule, including changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program and wage index
Program Faculty:
- William A. Dombi, Esq., President, NAHC
- Theresa M. Forster, Vice President for Hospice Policy & Programs, NAHC
- Katie Wehri, Director, Home Care & Hospice Regulatory Affairs, NAHC
Commercial support by:
Hospice Governance Academy-Intregiti3D-https://www.integriti3d.com/hospice-governance-academy/