Medicare Benefit Policy Manual (Pub. 100-02), Ch. 9 § 90.2
Aggregate Cap on Overall Reimbursement to Medicare-certified
90.2 – Aggregate Cap on Overall Reimbursement to Medicare-certified
Hospices
(Rev. 246, Issued: 09-14-18, Effective: 12-17- 18, Implementation: 12-17-18)
Overall aggregate Medicare payments made to a Medicare-certified hospice are subject to
an aggregate cap for each cap year. The aggregate cap is calculated by multiplying a
Medicare beneficiary count during the period by a statutory “cap amount.” The cap
amount is adjusted annually. The Medicare beneficiary count is determined using either
the proportional method or the streamlined method, as described in section 90.2.2 below.
The total actual Medicare payments made for services furnished to Medicare
beneficiaries during the cap year are compared to the aggregate cap for this period.
“Total actual Medicare payments made for services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries
during the cap year” refers to Medicare payments for services rendered during the cap
year, regardless of when payment is actually made. Any actual Medicare payments in
excess of the aggregate cap must be refunded by the hospice.
All Medicare-certified hospices are subject to the aggregate cap calculation. When a
beneficiary receives hospice care from more than one hospice, only the care provided by
the Medicare-certified hospice(s) is considered when computing the aggregate cap.