Hospice rules clarified: Medicare fine-tunes end-of-life payments

2026-10292 — Medicaid Program; Medicaid Managed Care State Directed Payments and Medicaid Fee-for-Service Targeted Medicaid Practitioner Payments

This proposed rule changes how states can pay Medicaid managed care plans and certain doctors to make sure payments are fair, efficient, and encourage enough providers to offer quality care. It affects states, Medicaid managed care organizations, and targeted Medicaid practitioners, aiming to keep payments balanced and services available. Comments on these changes are open until July 21, 2026, so stakeholders have time to weigh in before it’s finalized.

2026-10050 — Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program

Starting in 2027, health insurance plans on federal and state marketplaces will see new rules to make coverage fairer and easier to use. These changes affect insurance companies, agents, and people buying plans, including new fees, penalties, and better protections for those with hardships. Expect updates on plan quality, dental coverage limits, and longer-term catastrophic plans, all aiming to keep your health coverage solid and affordable.

2026-07205 — Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Interoperability Standards and Prior Authorization for Drugs for Medicare Advantage Organizations, Medicaid Managed Care Plans, State Medicaid Agencies, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Agencies and CHIP Managed Care Entities, and Issuers of Qualified Health Plans on the Federally-Facilitated Exchanges

This new rule will help Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and health plan companies share patient info more easily and speed up drug approval requests. It affects Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP, and health plans on federal exchanges, aiming to make care smoother and faster. These changes will start soon and could save time and money by cutting red tape.

2026-04797 — Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2026 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; and Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; Correction

This document fixes some typos and technical mistakes in the Medicare and Medicaid payment rules for 2026. It affects doctors, healthcare providers, and anyone using Medicare Part B by clarifying payment policies and program requirements starting January 1, 2026. These corrections help make sure payments and coverage rules are clear and accurate, so everyone gets paid right and on time.

2026-04467 — Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program; Correction

This correction fixes some missing labels in important tables from the 2027 health insurance rules under the Affordable Care Act. It mainly affects insurance companies and people using marketplace plans by clarifying how risk and payments are calculated. These fixes take effect right away on March 6, 2026, ensuring everyone has clear info before the 2027 plan year starts.

2025-23081 — Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program; Correction

This correction fixes some math and typo mistakes in the Medicare payment rules for inpatient rehab facilities starting October 1, 2025. It mainly affects rehab centers by updating their payment rates and quality reporting details to be fair and accurate. These changes ensure providers get the right money and info for the 2026 fiscal year.

Previous: 2025-06298 — Medicare Program; FY 2026 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System-Rate Update

Starting October 1, 2025, Medicare is updating how it pays inpatient psychiatric hospitals and units, including changes to rates, wage adjustments, and special payments for teaching and rural facilities. These updates affect hospitals that care for patients with mental health needs and aim to improve payment fairness and quality reporting. Plus, Medicare is tweaking quality rules and asking for ideas to make the program even better!

Next: 2025-06336 — Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program

Starting in fiscal year 2026, inpatient rehab centers will see updated payment rates and changes to how patient cases are grouped and valued. The rule also continues cutting back extra payments for rural facilities and updates quality reporting rules to keep care top-notch. These changes affect rehab centers nationwide and could impact their funding and reporting starting October 1, 2025.