🏥Proposed Changes to Medicare Hospital Payment Systems for 2026
Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes
Summary
This proposed rule would revise the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital- related costs of acute care hospitals; make changes relating to Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals; update the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs); update and make changes to requirements for certain quality programs; and make other policy-related changes.
Agencies
- Health and Human Services Department
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Business Impact
$$$ - High
The regulatory text discusses proposed changes to Medicare payment systems, which directly impact financial operations for hospitals. It includes compliance requirements related to quality programs and inpatient payment rates. Hospitals must adapt to these changes for sustained reimbursement.