On October 4, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ) released a memo to state survey agencies providing guidance on the implementation of the Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP), which was established in accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

The memo outlines the SFP criteria, finalized in the CY 2024 Home Health Prospective Payment System final rule, and the roles and responsibilities for CMS, the state survey agencies, and the accrediting organizations.

The memo, which can be found here, conforms with what was finalized in rulemaking, including that the list of eligible hospice programs and programs selected for the SFP will be posted on the CMS SFP website in November 2024. LeadingAge will further analyze and and provide more details on the memo as needed.