Eli's Hospice Insider

Published on Fri Aug 16, 2019 PDF

Volatility continues.

If you’re wondering why industry members have been advocating for protection from wild wage index swings, this list of top decreases and increases show why.

Fifty-four of 410 Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) will see an increase or decrease of more than 5 percent to their wage index in 2020, effective Oct. 1, as compared to the current year, according to analysis by Dave Macke of VonLehman & Co. in Ft. Wright, Kentucky. That’s 13 percent.

Here are the top five CBSAs for positive changes:

1.  Dutchess County-Putnam County, NY (CBSA code 20524) — 12.03 percent increase to 1.2553.

2. _Lebanon, PA (30140) — 8.98 percent increase to 0.9335.

3. _Midland, TX (33260) — 8.98 percent increase to 0.9932.

4. _Vallejo-Fairfield, CA (46700) — 8.67 percent increase to 1.8629.

5. _Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI (27980) — 8.62 percent increase to 1.2578.

The bottom five CBSAs with the largest decreases are:

1. _Arecibo, PR (11640) — 13.95 percent decrease to 0.4193.

2. _Altoona, PA (11020) — 12.54 percent decrease to 0.9346.

3. _Muncie, IN (34620) — 11.19 percent decrease to 0.8941.

4. _Albany, GA (10500) — 8.95 percent decrease to 0.8070.

5. _Macon-Bibb County, GA (31420) — 7.94 percent decrease to 0.8513.