Section 418.306 - Annual update of the payment rates and adjustment for area wage differences(a)Applicability. CMS establishes payment rates for each of the categories of hospice care described in § 418.302(b) . The rates are established using the methodology described in section 1814(i)(1)(C) of the Act and in accordance with section 1814(i)(6)(D) of the Act.(b)Annual update of the payment rates. The payment rates for routine home care and other services included in hospice care are the payment rates in effect under this paragraph during the previous fiscal year increased by the hospice payment update percentage increase (as defined in sections1814(i)(1)(C) of the Act), applicable to discharges occurring in the fiscal year. (1) For fiscal year 2014 and subsequent fiscal years, in accordance with section 1814(i)(5)(A)(i) of the Act, in the case of a Medicare-certified hospice that submits hospice quality data, as specified by the Secretary, the payment rates are equal to the rates for the previous fiscal year increased by the applicable hospice payment update percentage increase.(2) For fiscal years 2014 and through 2023, in accordance with section 1814(i)(5)(A)(i) of the Act, in the case of a Medicare-certified hospice that does not submit hospice quality data, as specified by the Secretary, the payment rates are equal to the rates for the previous fiscal year increased by the applicable hospice payment update percentage increase, minus 2 percentage points. Beginning with fiscal year 2024 and subsequent fiscal years, the reduction increases to 4 percentage points. Any reduction of the percentage change will apply only to the fiscal year involved and will not be taken into account in computing the payment amounts for a subsequent fiscal year.(c)Adjustment for wage differences.(1) Each hospice's labor market is determined based on definitions of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) issued by OMB. CMS will issue annually, in the FEDERAL REGISTER, a hospice wage index based on the most current available CMS hospital wage data, including changes to the definition of MSAs. The urban and rural area geographic classifications are defined in § 412.64(b)(1)(ii)(A) through (C) of this chapter. The payment rates established by CMS are adjusted by the Medicare contractor to reflect local differences in wages according to the revised wage data.(2) Beginning on October 1, 2022, CMS applies a cap on decreases to the hospice wage index such that the wage index applied to a geographic area is not less than 95 percent of the wage index applied to that geographic area in the prior fiscal year.(d)Federal Register notices. CMS publishes as a notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER any proposal to change the methodology for determining the payment rates.56 FR 26919, June 12, 1991, as amended at 59 FR 26960, May 25, 1994; 62 FR 42882, Aug. 8, 1997; 70 FR 70548, Nov. 22, 2005; 73 FR 46486, Aug. 8, 2008; 79 FR 50509, Aug. 22, 2014; 80 FR 47207, Aug. 6, 2015; 86 FR 42605, Aug. 4, 2021; 87 FR 45702, July 29, 2022 86 FR 42605, 10/1/2021; 87 FR 45702, 10/1/2022