ASC Daily Briefing — July 3, 2026
🆕 New Today
CMS issues CY 2027 OPPS/ASC Proposed Rule (CMS-1850-P). On July 2, 2026, CMS released the CY 2027 OPPS/ASC proposed rule — the item flagged as “anticipated mid-July” in recent briefings has now posted. The comment period is open (60 days); comments are due in early September 2026 — confirm the exact date on the Federal Register (document 2026-13656). Source: CMS CY 2027 OPPS/ASC Proposed Rule Fact Sheet
ASC-relevant highlights:
- Proposed 2.4% ASC payment update for CY 2027 for centers meeting ASCQR requirements (market basket 3.2% minus 0.8% productivity adjustment) — down from the 2.6% finalized for CY 2026. Centers failing ASCQR reporting still face a 2-percentage-point reduction.
- Inpatient-Only (IPO) list phase-out, Year 2: CMS proposes removing 638 services across auditory, digestive, endocrine, female/male genital, hemic and lymphatic, integumentary, maternity care and delivery, mediastinum/diaphragm, respiratory, and urinary families — further expanding outpatient/ASC-eligible volume. Review case-mix and capability/accreditation scope for newly eligible codes.
- ASCQR changes: CMS proposes removing the Appropriate Follow-Up Interval for Normal Colonoscopy in Average-Risk Patients measure (cross-program with Hospital OQR) beginning CY 2027 reporting / CY 2029 payment. CMS is also soliciting comment on stratifying the All-Cause Hospital Transfer/Admission measure by phase of care, and on a new Information Transfer PRO-PM (voluntary CY 2027, mandatory CY 2029). Update your quality-reporting roadmap.
- Prior authorization expansion: CMS proposes adding 8 botulinum toxin injection codes to hospital OPD prior authorization for program-integrity reasons — watch for downstream ASC billing/workflow impact.
- Accreditor note: CMS proposes letting hospital Accrediting Organizations assess EMTALA administrative requirements during routine accreditation surveys (42 CFR 488.5 / 489.20). ASC-adjacent, but continues the tightening AO-oversight trend.
Note: The proposed 340B ASP minus 33.4% drug policy and site-neutral imaging-without-contrast policy are hospital-outpatient focused with limited direct ASC impact. No standing item changed today — see the Standing Compliance Reference for items currently in effect (the CY 2026 Final Rule remains the in-effect rule).