ASC Daily Briefing — September 18, 2026

By consulting | September 18, 2026 |

New Today

OAS CAHPS Preview Reports for ASCs have moved to the Hospital Quality Reporting (HQR) system. The OAS CAHPS Coordination Team’s July 29, 2026 announcement states that the Q4 2024–Q3 2025 Preview Report was the last one posted on oascahps.org for ASCs; beginning with the Q1–Q4 2025 reporting period, ASC and HOPD preview reports are posted in HQR (hqr.cms.gov). Action: confirm each center has an active HARP account with the HQR OAS CAHPS role for its ASC CCN before the next quarterly refresh — the preview window is the only chance to catch data problems before results are publicly reported on the Provider Data Catalog. (Posted July 29; first surfaced today through the OAS CAHPS Announcements feed.)
Source: OAS CAHPS — Preview Reports Available, Q4 2024 through Q3 2025 (Jul. 29, 2026)

Standing Items Changed

  • ASCQR Program participation — added a note that OAS CAHPS Preview Reports for ASCs are now delivered through HQR rather than oascahps.org (effective with the Q1–Q4 2025 reporting period), with the HARP/HQR-access action item. See the Standing Compliance Reference.

Reviewed and Closed

  • AAAHC comment letter on CMS-1848-P (CY 2027 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule), September 11, 2026 — addresses PFS practice-expense methodology, teaching-physician and telehealth flexibilities, remote-monitoring vendor arrangements, and Ambulatory Specialty Model data submission. No ASC certification, survey, or deemed-status content; restates that v45 is CMS-approved (already standing). Source: AAAHC
  • ASC Focus, “ASCA marks National ASC Month,” September 18, 2026 — advocacy recap (lawmaker facility tours; 95 member letters supporting the Outpatient Surgery Access Act, H.R. 8091/S. 4963, and the Medicare Beneficiary Co-Pay Fairness Act, H.R. 3006/S. 1776). No committee action on either bill. Source: ASC Focus
  • HHS-OIG September 2026 Work Plan update — two new projects (GLP-1 overdispensing in Part D; MAO prior authorization for Part B drugs). Neither touches ASCs. Source: HHS-OIG Work Plan

Federal Register (zero ASC/AO/CfC documents since September 16; nothing CMS-related on Monday’s public-inspection desk), CMS QSO memos, CMS Newsroom, QUAD A, ASCA Pressroom, and Joint Commission prepublication standards: no ASC items. Next deadlines: RAPID device coverage pathway (CMS-3487-NC) comments due October 13, 2026; OAS CAHPS Q2 2026 submission due October 14, 2026.

Sources

Posted in ASC Daily Briefing

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