Hospice Payments FY 2027: Mastering New Rates, Wage Index, Caps & Reimbursement Changes

Course Description

The Medicare Hospice Benefit continues to play a critical role in delivering compassionate, patient-centered end-of-life care while supporting healthcare organizations in achieving quality, compliance, and value-based care objectives. As hospice utilization remains a vital component of the healthcare continuum, providers must stay informed about evolving payment policies, regulatory requirements, and operational expectations that directly impact hospice reimbursement and performance.

This webinar provides a comprehensive review of the FY 2027 Hospice Payment Update and its implications for hospice organizations, healthcare executives, physicians, compliance professionals, revenue cycle leaders, and other stakeholders involved in end-of-life care services. Participants will gain practical insight into the latest Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updates, including hospice payment rate changes, wage index revisions, quality reporting requirements, compliance considerations, and emerging regulatory developments affecting hospice operations.

The session will examine how FY 2027 policy changes may influence reimbursement, financial planning, care delivery models, staffing strategies, and organizational performance. Attendees will also explore the broader impact of hospice within value-based care initiatives, population health management, and care coordination efforts across hospitals, health systems, physician practices, senior living communities, home health agencies, and accountable care organizations.

In addition to reviewing current regulatory and payment updates, the webinar will discuss emerging trends shaping the future of hospice care, including demographic shifts, workforce challenges, technology adoption, quality measurement evolution, and strategic opportunities for growth and innovation. Participants will leave with actionable knowledge to help their organizations remain compliant, financially sustainable, and well-positioned to navigate the changing hospice landscape in FY 2027 and beyond.

• Review the key Medicare Hospice payment updates for FY 2027.
• Explain the impact of the FY 2027 hospice wage index and payment rate changes.
• Identify significant regulatory and compliance updates affecting hospice providers.
• Discuss quality reporting requirements and performance expectations for 2027.
• Examine the latest developments in hospice payment reform and value-based care.
• Analyze operational and financial implications of the FY 2027 updates.
• Recognize documentation and billing considerations under current CMS guidance.
• Evaluate strategies for maintaining compliance and audit readiness.
• Explore emerging trends influencing the future of hospice care delivery.
• Develop action plans to prepare organizations for FY 2027 hospice changes.

•  FY 2027 Medicare Hospice Payment Update
• Overview of the FY 2027 payment changes
• 2.3% hospice payment update
• How the 3.2% market basket update and 0.9 percentage-point MFP adjustment produce the final update
• Effective period: October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027 
•  Understanding the FY 2027 Hospice Payment Rates
• FY 2027 Hospice Cap Amount
• FY 2027 hospice cap of $36,174.75
• Comparison with the FY 2026 cap of $35,361.44
• How the 2.3% payment update affects the cap
• Understanding the FY 2027 cap year
• Inpatient and Aggregate Hospice Caps
• Aggregate cap considerations
• Inpatient cap methodology
• Treatment of General Inpatient Care (GIP) and respite care days
• Hospice Wage Index Updates for FY 2027
• How the hospice wage index affects Medicare reimbursement
• Geographic wage differences and payment calculations
• Continued application of the permanent 5% wage-index decrease limitation
• County-Level Wage Index Protection
• Application of the 5% cap on wage-index decreases at the county level
• How county-level protection differs from prior transition approaches
• Identifying areas potentially affected by wage-index changes
• OMB Geographic and CBSA Designation Changes
• FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index Transition Codes
• Counties requiring special 50xxx transition codes
• Continued use of transition codes where applicable
• Using the FY 2027 wage index file and CMS transition-code information
•  Hospice Labor Shares and Wage-Adjusted Payments
• Routine Home Care — 66%
• Continuous Home Care — 75.2%
• Inpatient Respite Care — 61%
• General Inpatient Care — 63.5%
• Quality Reporting and the 4% Payment Reduction
• FY 2027 payment implications for hospices that fail to meet quality reporting requirements
• Difference between the standard 2.3% payment update and the –1.7% update applicable when the 4% quality reporting adjustment is imposed
•  Hospice Pricer and Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) Processing
• Incorporation of FY 2027 payment rates and wage indexes into the Hospice Pricer
• MAC implementation considerations
• Preparing billing teams for the FY 2027 changes
• Billing and Revenue Cycle Implications of the FY 2027 Updates
• Operational and Financial Impact on Hospice Organizations
• Budgeting for FY 2027
• Revenue forecasting
• Evaluating geographic wage-index changes
• Preparing for changes in reimbursement and hospice cap exposure
•  Key Compliance and Implementation Considerations
• Updating internal billing and reimbursement processes
• Coordinating finance, billing, compliance, and clinical operations
• Interactive Q&A Session with Hospice Industry Expert Kurt A. Kazanowski

• Hospice Administrators — RN, BSN, CHPN
• Hospice Executive Directors — MBA, BSN, RN
• Hospice Clinical Directors — RN, BSN, CHPN
• Hospice Medical Directors — MD, DO
• Hospice Physicians — MD, DO, FAAHPM
• Hospice Nurse Practitioners — MSN, APRN, FNP-C, AGNP-C
• Hospice Billing Managers — CPC, CPMA, CCS
• Hospice Revenue Cycle Managers — CRCR, CPC
• Hospice Coding Specialists — CPC, CCS, CCS-P
• Hospice Compliance Officers — CHC, CHPC, CCEP
• Hospice Finance Directors — CPA, MBA
• Hospice Chief Financial Officers — CPA, MBA
• Hospice Reimbursement Managers — CPC, CRCR
• Hospice Quality Managers — RN, BSN, CHPN, CPHQ
• Hospice Quality & Regulatory Compliance Specialists — CPHQ, CHC
• Hospice Case Managers — RN, BSN, CHPN
• Hospice Directors of Operations — MBA, BSN, RN
• Hospice Revenue Integrity Specialists — CRCR, CPC, CCS
• Home Health & Hospice Compliance Managers — CHC, CHPC, RN
• Healthcare Consultants & Advisors Serving Hospice Organizations — CPA, MBA, CHC, CPC

Kurt A. Kazanowski, MS, RN, CHE is a native Detroiter and now lives and works in West Palm Beach, Florida. He is the Managing Partner of Hospice Advisors, a consulting and training company specializing in hospice and home care. Additionally, Kurt is the owner of Caregiving Experts, a personal care and private-duty company located in Plymouth, Michigan, outside Detroit.

Over the past 30 years as an executive leader, Kurt has led hospitals, hospices, and home care companies in delivering superior care and services. His expertise spans leadership and operations, strategic planning, marketing and sales, referral growth, business development, mergers and acquisitions, physician relations, the development of strategic partnerships between hospices and hospitals, and serving as a connector, facilitator, and networker.

Kurt was also a part-owner of a home care company in Moscow, Russia, several years ago. He is an author, speaker, and healthcare entrepreneur. His recent books, A Son's Journey: Taking Care of Mom and Dad and The Seven Pillars of Growth, provide a platform for his professional speaking engagements.

Kurt holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Mercy College and a master's degree in Health Services Administration from Wayne State University. He is also a member of the National Speakers Association.