Issued by CMS in August 2025, the Medicare hospice final rule (CMS-1835-F) included a 2.6% ($750 million) estimated net increase to fiscal year (FY) 2026 payments as compared to a 2.9% hike in FY 2025 payments. The increase will be applied to payment for the four hospice levels of care, including routine home care, continuous home care, general inpatient care, and inpatient respite care. Forvis Mazars has made the 2026 hospice payment rates available by state.
The hospice aggregate cap also will be adjusted up by 2.6% and will be set at $35,361 for FY 2026.
To review the rule in its entirety, visit the Federal Register website. If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to a professional at Forvis Mazars or use the Contact Us form.