Medicare Program; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

This proposed rule would update the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. This rule also proposes changes to the admission to hospice regulations and the hospice face-to-face attestation requirements under the certification of terminal illness regulations. This proposed rule also includes a technical correction to the regulatory text and provides updates to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program requirements. Finally, this proposed rule solicits comments regarding requests for information surrounding future measure concepts for Hospice Quality Reporting Program.

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, June 30, 2025.

In commenting, refer to file code CMS-1835-P.

Comments, including mass comment submissions, must be submitted in one of the following three ways (choose only one of the ways listed):

1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on this regulation to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the “Submit a comment” instructions.

2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1835-P, P.O. Box 8010, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received before the close of the comment period.

3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1835-P, Mail Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

For information on viewing public comments, see the beginning of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.