The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the calendar year (CY) 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems (OPPS/ASC) proposed rule in the July 17, 2025, Federal Register.

The rule outlines new proposed payment rates and related policies for a wide variety of Medicare providers, including not only physicians but other individual Medicare clinicians, such as physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.

The proposed CY 2026 OPPS/ASC would implement a 2.4% increase to OPPS payment rates that reflects a market basket update of 3.2%, reduced by a productivity adjustment of 0.8 percentage points.

RCPA will provide a more detailed analysis of the OPPS/ASC proposed rule with a focus on the implications for rehabilitation providers. Additional information can be provided on this OPPS fact sheet.

Comments on the proposed rule are due by September 15, 2025. Members are encouraged to share comments and concerns to Melissa Dehoff by September 8, 2025, to include in RCPA’s comment letter.