The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that provides updates to the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP). The proposed rule estimates that in FY 2026, hospices in rural areas would experience on average, a 2.7 percent increase in estimated payment compared to FY 2025. The rule also proposes to clarify in the hospice payment regulations that the physician member of the interdisciplinary group (IDG) may recommend admission to hospice care, which would align with certification regulations and the Conditions of Participation (CoPs). CMS also proposes to clarify that the hospice face-to-face encounter attestation must include the physician’s/practitioner’s signature and date.
