California Healthline
CMS on Monday issued a proposed rule that would increase Medicare reimbursement rates to hospices by 1.1%, or $180 million, for fiscal year 2014, Modern Healthcare reports. CMS said the increase was proposed in part because of a nearly 60% increase in average length of stays among Medicare beneficiaries, from 54 days in fiscal year 2000 to 86 days in FY 2010. In addition, CMS spending on hospice services has grown from $2.9 billion in FY 2000 to $14.7 billion in FY 2012.
