• CMS-1420-F (Publication Date: August 6, 2009): The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule to update the Medicare Hospice Wage Index for fiscal year (FY) 2010. This rule revises the phase-out of the hospice wage index budget neutrality adjustment factor (BNAF), which was finalized in the FY 2009 final rule, to now occur over 7 years.  As a result of this final rule, the BNAF will be reduced by 10 percent in FY 2010, and 15 percent each year from FY 2011 through FY 2016.  The combined effects of a 10% reduction to the BNAF in the FY 2010 Hospice Wage Index and a 2.1% hospital market basket update are estimated to increase payment to hospices in FY 2010 by 1.4 percent.  In addition, this final requires hospice physicians to provide a short narrative as part of hospice certifications and recertifications of terminal illness.  
• Update to Aggregate Cap Amount [PDF, 20KB]: The 2009 hospice aggregate cap amount is $23, 014.50.

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