A Recent Hospice Update Eliminates The 3-Decade Old Per-Diem Rate:
- Hospices will now be reimbursed a rate that is higher on days 1-60 of a stay ($187.54) and lower thereafter ($145.14).
- Hospices can now bill for reimbursement for service intensity add-on (SIA) payments which pay agencies for up to four hours of direct patient care from a registered nurse or social worker (at $38.75/hour) provided to enrollees during their last seven days of life.
In replacing the flat per-diem rate, CMS sought to align payments more closely with agency costs over the course of hospice enrollees’ stays