Minor Hospice Cost Report Changes

The Health Group 

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has released minor changes to the Hospice Cost & Data Report (“Cost Report”).

The changes are as follows:

• The Cost Report now provides for indication that the filing is a no Medicare utilization filing, if applicable.
• Effective beginning January 1, 2024, hospice accounting records should segregate the costs of marriage and family therapy services and mental health counseling services.  These costs are to be reported with other counseling services (line 36 of Worksheets A-1, A-2, A-3, and A-4).
• Cost Report Level 1 Edit – Worksheet S must identify the cost report submission as a full, low, or no utilization filing.
• Cost Report Level 2 Edit – Worksheet A, column 7, line 2 (Capital-Related Costs – Movable Equipment) must include a cost entry more than $0.

The Cost Report cannot be submitted electronically if the report contains any Level 1 Edits.