Thursdays at Three: Medicare Wage Index & Geographic Reclassifications
October 9, 2025Join Forvis Mazars for an in-depth overview of the Medicare wage index and its impact on hospital reimbursement, focused on New York. We’ll explore the rules and strategies related to special designations, geographic reclassifications, 42 CFR Section 412.103 rural redesignations, and the rural floor. In addition, we’ll discuss special designations, such as a Rural Referral Center, Sole Community Hospital, and Medicare Dependent Hospital, and how these designations interact with wage index adjustments.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:
- Explain how the Medicare wage index is calculated and applied to hospital payments.
- Differentiate between various Medicare special designation statuses and their financial impacts.
- Identify strategies hospitals use to improve wage index, including geographic reclassifications and special designations.
Presenter(s)
Chad Tysdahl, Koy Dever, Kenny Tobias