• CMS-1548-F: The Hospice Wage Index for Fiscal Year 2009; Final Rule was published at the Federal Register on August 8, 2008.  As part of the provisions of this final rule, CMS is phasing-out and eventually eliminating an adjustment, the budget neutrality adjustment factor (BNAF), to the hospice wage index that was put into place over 10 years ago to help hospices through a transitional period to a new wage index.  The combined effects of a 25% reduction to the BNAF in FY 2009 and a 3.6% market basket update are estimated to increase payment to hospices in FY 2009 by 2.5%.  For more information, see the Fact Sheet. (Display Date:  July 31, 2008; Publication Date:  August 8, 2008) 
• CMS recently posted a new Question & Answer providing guidance on CR 5567 as it relates to the reporting of "charges" on the hospice claim.  (posted July 21, 2008)
• CMS recently posted a new Question & Answer providing clarification on CR 5971 and Signature Requirements in the Medicare Hospice Benefit.  (posted May 28, 2008)
• The hospice aggregate cap amount for the 2008 cap year is $22,386.15. The cap amount is computed based on instructions given in Section 1814(i)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act. Please see the Hospice Aggregate Cap document for more information. (posted May 28, 2008)
• CMS-1548-P: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to update the hospice wage index for FY 2009.  As part of that proposed rule, CMS also proposes a phased-in elimination of an adjustment, the budget neutrality adjustment factor (BNAF), to the hospice wage index that was put into place over 10 years ago to help hospices through a transitional period to a new wage index.  The combined effects of a 25% reduction to the BNAF in FY 2009 and an estimated 3.0% market basket update are estimated to increase payment to hospices in FY 2009 by 1.9%.  For more information, see the Fact Sheet. (Display Date: April 28, 2008; Publication Date: May 1, 2008; Comments due by 5pm on June 27, 2008) 

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