CMS Revises Hospice Appendix M and Hospice Basic Surveyor Training

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued QSO-23-08-HOSPICE.

QSO-23-08-HOSPICE informs Hospice providers of revisions to the State Operations Manual, Hospice Appendix M, that include:

  • An enhanced approach to investigating quality of care for hospice patients was added that prioritizes the Phase 1 CoPs at §418.52 Patient Rights, §418.54 Initial and comprehensive assessment of the patient, and §418.56 Interdisciplinary Group, care planning, and coordination of services to increase attention to achieving desired outcomes for patients;
  • An additional section of the survey protocol that increases the number of records reviewed from all locations where the hospice operates, and the variety of home settings where patients live; and,
  • An enhanced Pre-Survey task that directs surveyors to review public media for concerns about a hospice, the hospice’s website, CMS Care Compare-Hospice and prior survey reports.

This memorandum provides an advanced copy of Appendix M with the revisions identified, and additional information on the survey task structural changes.

Read the QSO memo for details.