FY 2026 Hospice Payment Rate Update Final Rule Summary

On August 5, 2025, CMS published in the Federal Register (90 FR 37404) a final rule updating the Medicare hospice payment rates, wage index and Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) for FY 2026. CMS also clarifies in its hospice payment regulations that the physician member of the interdisciplinary group may recommend admission to hospice care, which will align with certification regulations and the Conditions of Participation. In addition, CMS finalizes a clarification in its regulations that the hospice face-to-face encounter attestation must include the physician’s/practitioner’s signature and date. CMS also provides notification of several updates related to the HQRP. CMS estimates that the overall impact of the final rule will be an increase of $750 million (2.6 percent) in Medicare payments to hospices during FY 2026.

CMS notes that wage index addenda for FY 2026 (October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026) will be available only through the internet at https://www.cms.gov/files/zip/fy-2026-final-hospice-wage-index.zip.

In prior rules, CMS included data about hospice utilization trends. CMS will now include this information only on the CMS hospice center webpage at https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/fee-for-service-providers/hospice.