Breaking News: Various posts about the CMS FY26 Wage Index Final Rule

Breaking News: Various posts about the CMS FY26 Wage Index Final Rule
Compiled by Hospice & Palliative Care Today; Joy Berger; 8/2/25
Finally. The financial Final Rule arrived. What do you need to know and do? How are hospice leaders responding? We've compiled these for you to go directly to various sources to find what you need.

• CMS FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index FINAL Rule posted in Federal Register, 
• Hospice & Palliative Care News Today - Breaking News 8/1/25
• Links to the full CMS Final Rule with summary descriptions for Payment Update, Wage Index Values, Cap amount, Physician member of the IDG, Face-to-face attestation, by Judi Lund Person 
• Fact Sheet - FY 2025 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update Final Rule CMS-1835-F
• CMS.gov; 8/1/25
• Fact Sheet for the Final Rule 
• Breaking: Hospices to Get 2.6% Pay Raise for 2026
• Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 8/1/25
• Jim notes, "CMS seems set on an Oct. 1 implementation date for the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool quality measurement system, despite calls for a delay. The final rule did not make any changes to the transition deadline."
• National Alliance for Care at Home Responds to FY 2026 Hospice Final Rule
• National Alliance for Care at Home; Press Release; 8/1/25
• Statement by Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the Alliance, includes: "Despite responsiveness in other areas, the Alliance is deeply disappointed that CMS did not heed recommendations and delay the October 1, 2025 implementation of the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool nor waive the timeliness completion requirement for HOPE record submission."
• Response to CMS FY26 Hospice Final Rule, by Tom Koutsoumpas, NPHI Founder & CEO
• National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), 8/2/25
• Statement by Tom Koutsoumpas, NPHI Founder & CEO includes, "NPHI is pleased to see CMS confirm a payment rate increase for hospices across the US. ... At the same time, nonprofit, mission-driven, community-based hospice organizations continue to face real financial and workforce pressures as they work to deliver high-quality, person-centered care."
• FY2026 Hospice Wage Index Rule - LeadingAge
• LeadingAge.org, Serial Post ranging from 4/11/25 to current
• This series of posts shows the progression of Proposed Rules and Comments preceding this Final Rule