CMS Rescinds Doctor-Hospital Expansion Exception Under Self-Referral Rules
Published Date: 4/28/2025
Notice
Summary
This notice cancels a previous request asking for an exception to a rule that stops hospitals owned by doctors from expanding their size. It affects hospitals with physician owners and the local communities around them. No changes or expansions will happen now, and the public won’t be asked for comments on this issue anymore.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Rescission Stops Hospital Expansion Request
A Federal Register notice published February 11, 2025, asked for comments on a hospital’s request for an exception to the rule that stops physician-owned hospitals from expanding facility capacity. This document rescinds that notice, so the hospital's requested exception and any expansion will not proceed now.
Public Comment Solicitation Canceled
The rescinded February 11, 2025 notice had sought public comments on the exception request. With this rescission, the public will not be asked to provide comments on that exception request anymore.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-20281, Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) Model
Starting November 30, 2026, Medicare will use the new GLOBE Model to help lower the cost of certain drugs for people on Original Medicare. This model changes how drug price increases are calculated, aiming to save money for both patients and the Medicare program without cutting care quality. If you’re on Medicare Part B, expect smarter drug pricing that helps keep your healthcare affordable.
2026-20131, Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2027 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program; Correction
This correction fixes some technical mistakes in the Medicare payment rules for inpatient rehab facilities starting October 1, 2026. It mainly affects hospitals and rehab centers by clarifying how wage data and payments are calculated, ensuring fairer payment rates for fiscal year 2027. No big changes in money, but it keeps everything accurate and on track.
2026-19959, Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2027; Correction
This correction fixes some technical mistakes in Medicare payment rules for skilled nursing facilities starting October 1, 2026. It mainly affects how hospital data is used to calculate payments, making sure no current hospitals are wrongly excluded. These tweaks help keep Medicare payments fair and accurate for providers and patients.
2026-20067, Medicare Program; FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements; Correction
This correction fixes some technical mistakes in the FY 2027 hospice payment and wage index rules that were first published in August 2026. It mainly affects hospice providers by updating how their payments are calculated, making sure the numbers are accurate starting October 1, 2026. These changes help ensure hospices get the right payment amounts based on the latest hospital wage data.
2026-19946, Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; Other Policy Changes; and Adoption of Updated Versions of Certain Health Information Technology Standards; Correction
This update fixes some typos and technical mistakes in the Medicare payment rules for hospitals starting October 1, 2026. It affects hospitals getting paid for patient care, making sure the payment system and quality programs run smoothly. These corrections help hospitals get the right payments and follow updated health tech standards without delays or confusion.
2026-15686, Medicare Program; FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
This final rule updates the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for fiscal year 2027. This final rule also includes an analysis of Medicare non-hospice spending, including details regarding a hospice service and spending variation index, and finalizes the requirement that hospices provide the hospice election statement addendum to all Medicare beneficiaries at the time of hospice election. Additionally, this rule finalizes conforming changes to discharge from hospice care regulations and changes to the face-to-face encounter regulations. This final rule also includes a summary of comments received on our requests for information regarding community- based palliative care; the construction of a hospice specific wage index; and the overlap between hospice and medical aid in dying laws. Finally, this rule finalizes changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-07293, Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Lower Missouri River Flood Risk and Resiliency System Plan
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning a big study to find the best ways to reduce flooding and make the Lower Missouri River area safer and stronger. This plan will look at how to protect people, nature, and communities while boosting fun and local economies. The work will take some time and money but aims to help everyone living near the river stay safe and enjoy the area more.
Next: 2025-07295, Information Collection: Physical Protection of Plants and Materials
The NRC wants to keep collecting info about how nuclear plants and materials stay safe and secure. This affects plant operators who must keep sharing their safety details, with no big changes or extra costs expected. The renewal helps make sure everything stays up-to-date and ready to protect people and the environment.