On April 23, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its annual proposed update for the hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2020 that starts in October 2019. This file reflects the Worksheet S-3, Parts II and III wage data from cost reports for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 (FY Beginning from 10/1/17 to 9/30/2018). 4. 6. This rule, required by statute, finalizes annual updates to the hospice wage index, payment rates, and cap amount for FY 2020. CMS published a preliminary Public Use File (PUF) for the FY 2021 wage Index May 17, 2019. The final hospice wage index for FY 2021 is effective October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021. CMS published a preliminary Public Use File (PUF) for the FY 2020 wage Index June 5, 2018. If finalized, the payment changes will be phased in over four years. 2. Hospitals with a wage index in the 75th percentile or higher would see their wage index decreased to offset the higher spending. FY 2019 Hospital Wage Index Development Timetable (May 2017 through October 2018) Date: Task: May 19, 2017 Release of preliminary FY 2019 wage index files, containing unaudited FY 2015 Worksheet S-3 wage data file. This file reflects the Worksheet S-3, Parts II and III wage data from cost reports for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 (FY Beginning from 10/1/17 to 9/30/2018). Wage Index / Occupational Mix - Recent News March 27, 2020. This process includes computing the FY 2020 price index level for the total market basket and each cost category of the market basket. The final IPPS rule normally contains the wage data. This final rule updates the hospice wage index, payment rates, and cap amount for fiscal year (FY) 2021. The wage index file also provides a crosswalk between the FY 2021 wage index using the current OMB delineations and the FY 2021 wage index using the revised OMB Start Printed Page 47081 delineations that will be in effect in FY 2021. The FFY 2018 wage data will be used in the development of the proposed FFY 2022 wage index to be published in the Federal Register in the spring of 2021. 5. Biden Administration delayed the change to the H-1B lottery until December 30, 2021, to replace it with a system where H-1B visas would be rolled out by wage level.. Updated BP Forms and Instructions. CMS … (FY 2022). The U.S. Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services extended the Sept. 1 deadline for hospitals to apply for reclassification of their Medicare area wage index for fiscal year 2022 until 15 days after the agency releases its inpatient prospective payment system final rule for FY 2021. CMS believes this policy improves the accuracy of the IRF PPS wage index while giving negatively affected IRFs time to adapt. Hospitals may submit an appeal if they disagree with their Medicare Administrative Contractor’s (MAC) determination concerning the development of the wage index, and they would like to request CMS’ intervention. updating the Medicare hospice payment rates, wage index, and the quality reporting requirements for fiscal year (FY) 2020 (84 Federal Register 38484). Updates on the BP Calendar for NGAs - FY 2022. Position Changes These data will have been desk reviewed and verified by the MACs before being published. • Counties with a decrease in the wage index values will have a maximum of 5% reduction for FY 2021 but will see the full reduction in FY 2022. CMS uses a four-step process to trend forward the base year (2014) weights to FY 2020 price levels. Download the fact sheet Department of homeland security Issues Final Rule, to Replace Random H1B Cap Lottery, with Selection Process, Based on Wage Level. CMS’ deadline for FY 2022 Wage Index revisions and Occupational Mix Survey is Thursday, September 3, 2020. This transition would allow the effects of our proposed adoption of the revised CBSA delineations to be phased in over 2 years, where the estimated reduction in a geographic area's wage index would be capped at 5 percent in FY 2021 (that is, no cap would be applied to the reduction in the wage index for the second year (FY 2022)).