CMS Proposes Rule That Would Support Community-Based Palliative Care
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a rule that would promote broader access to community-based palliative care. In the Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System proposed rule, CMS indicates that the Medicare home health benefit can serve as an important step in the care continuum for patients who need palliative care during episodes of serious or progressive illness. Under the proposal, palliative care services could be furnished and billed through existing Medicare home health benefits for eligible patients with serious illness. CMS notes that this care is distinct from hospice and may reach patients earlier in the course of their serious illness. The agency also plans to issue sub-regulatory guidance after the final rule is published, outlining additional examples of skilled palliative care services covered under the home health benefit, to support its broader goal of encouraging community-based palliative care.