LeadingAge has prepared a members-only article reviewing key details of the proposed FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements Proposed Rule. Read more here.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 2, 2026 published the FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements Proposed Rule. In addition to a recommended payment update of 2.4%, the proposed rule includes extensive efforts to improve transparency and prevent fraud including a new Service and Spending Variation Index (SSVI).  And, in an enormous win, CMS also announced its decision to grant a waiver to all Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) assessments dated October 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, and consider these assessments timely. Get the details.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on February 26, 2026  submitted the FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index, Payment Rate Update, and Quality Reporting Requirements (CMS-1851) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for their review. This is the final step before a proposed rule is released.