CMS’ Proposed Palliative Care Benefit: What We Know So Far

Recorded on 7/15/2026 View the Handout - https://chapinc.org/wp-content/upload... (Open Houses about the scholarship are on 7/16/26 - links available in the handout) CMS recently released the FY 2027 Hospice proposed rule and the CY 2027 Home Health proposed rule, both of which address community-based palliative care. Join CHAP for a review of CMS's proposed changes, including new requests for feedback, clarification on the provision of skilled palliative care services under existing Medicare home health benefits, and planned future guidance on covered palliative care services. We'll also discuss how CMS distinguishes palliative care from hospice care and its role in supporting patients with serious illness who continue to receive life-prolonging treatment. We'll discuss: CMS' Request for Information on enhancing and supporting community-based palliative care outside the traditional Medicare hospice benefit. CMS' clarification that certain skilled palliative care services may be furnished and billed under existing Medicare home health benefits, and that no new Medicare benefit category is being created. Planned future guidance on covered skilled palliative care services, the evidence CMS cites regarding patient and caregiver outcomes, and CMS' position that palliative care is not limited to end-of-life care and may be provided alongside life-prolonging treatments