Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare quality
Nov 25, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes to the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and the Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2026, including changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment systems. Among other things, this rule also updates the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program, Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting Program, Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program, Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating, and hospitals to make public their standard charge information and enforcement of hospital price transparency. This rule also announces the closure of a teaching hospital and the opportunity to apply for available slots. This rule is effective January 1, 2026. Applications for available resident spots are due by February 19, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 24, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes related to End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for calendar year 2026 and updating the payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury (AKI). Among other things, this rule also updates requirements for the ESRD Quality Incentive Program and modifying and terminating requirements for the ESRD Treatment Choices Model. These regulations are effective January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
CMS: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Federal Register
Nov 24, 2025 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comment on the following information collections: 1) 13th SOW Quality Innovation Network—Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) and American Indian Alaskan Native (AIAN) Measure Data Collection; 2) Provider Directory Data for Medicare Plan Finder; and 3) CMS Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Enrollment Registration, CMS EDI Enrollment Form, and CMS EDI Enrollment Attestation Form. Comments are due by January 23, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
CMS: Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Federal Register
Nov 21, 2025 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Advance Beneficiary Notice of Non-coverage; 2) Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey; 3) Information Collection Requirements in HSQ-110, Acquisition, Protection and Disclosure of Peer review Organization Information and Supporting Regulations; and 4) Information Collection Requirements in 42 CFR 478.18, 478.34, 478.36, 478.42, QIO Reconsiderations and Appeals. Comments are due December 22, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 5, 2025 - Notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) addressing: 1) changes to the Physician Fee Schedule and Medicare Part B payment policies; 2) policies for the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; 3) the Ambulatory Specialty Model; 4) updates to the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model; 5) updates to drugs and biological products paid under Part B; 6) Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; 7) updates to the Quality Payment Program; 8) updates to policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs); 9) updates to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; 10) codification of the Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 provisions; and 11) updates to the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program. These regulations are effective January 1, 2026.
Source: Federal Register