{"abstract":"This final rule updates the hospice wage index, payment rates, and cap amount for fiscal year (FY) 2019. The rule also makes conforming regulations text changes to recognize physician assistants as designated hospice attending physicians effective January 1, 2019. Finally, the rule includes changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2018/08/06/2018-16539.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":418,"title":42}],"citation":"83 FR 38622","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"These regulations are effective on October 1, 2018.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["CMS-1692-F"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2018-16539","effective_on":"2018-10-01","end_page":38655,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2018/08/06/2018-16539.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/08/06/2018-16539/medicare-program-fy-2019-hospice-wage-index-and-payment-rate-update-and-hospice-quality-reporting","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2018-16539?publication_date=2018-08-06","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2018-08-06/2018-16539/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":34,"page_views":{"count":12834,"last_updated":"2026-10-23 04:15:03 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2018-08-06/pdf/2018-16539.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2018-16539.pdf?1533154517","publication_date":"2018-08-06","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2018/08/06/2018-16539.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"0938-AT26":{"issue":"201804","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0938-AT26/fy-2019-hospice-wage-index-and-payment-rate-update-and-hospice-quality-reporting-requirements-cms-16","title":"FY 2019 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements (CMS-1692-P)","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201804&RIN=0938-AT26&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Economically Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["0938-AT26"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=CMS_FRDOC_0001","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"CMS_FRDOC_0001","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"Recently Posted CMS Rules and Notices.","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2018-08-26T10:00:20Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":38622,"subtype":null,"title":"Medicare Program; FY 2019 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements","toc_doc":"FY 2019 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements","toc_subject":"Medicare Program:","topics":["Health facilities","Hospice care","Medicare","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements"],"type":"Rule","volume":83}