Hospice Wage Index, the Final Rule, and the Signals CMS Is Sending | Part One

What is CMS really signaling through the 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Final Rule—and what should hospice leaders be doing now?In Part One, host Chris Comeaux is joined by hospice regulatory experts Annette Kiser and Judi Lund Person to unpack the 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Final Rule and look beyond reimbursement to what CMS may be signaling about the future of hospice regulation, compliance, payment, and oversight.They explore the Hospice Election Statement Addendum, the Service and Spending Variation Index (SSVI), non-hospice Medicare spending, Part B claims, telehealth reporting, and why leaders should be examining their data through a quality and compliance lens.In this episode:What the 2027 Hospice Final Rule reveals about CMS prioritiesPreparing for the October 1, 2026 Election Statement AddendumUnderstanding SSVI and non-hospice spendingWhy CMS is increasing scrutiny of unrelated servicesTelehealth, G-code reporting, and eligibilityUsing SSVI and PEPPER data to identify trends and opportunitiesCMS reported that Medicare Part A and B non-hospice spending increased 160% from 2020 to 2024, exceeding $2 billion in 2024, with hospice patients responsible for approximately $510 million in cost sharing—a major reason this issue is receiving increased attention. fileciteturn0file0L130-L148The Final Rule tells you what CMS is doing. The details may tell you what CMS is preparing to do next.▶️ Listen to Part One, share it with your hospice leadership team, and subscribe so you don’t miss Part Two.Guests:Annette Kiser — Chief Compliance Officer, Teleios Collaborative NetworkJudi Lund Person — Principal, Lund Person & AssociatesHost:Chris Comeaux — President/CEO of Teleios and author of The Anatomy of LeadershipTeleios Collaborative Network   /   https://www.teleioscn.org/tcntalkspodcast