Outpatient Surgery Access Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced
Summary
Aligns annual payment updates for ambulatory surgical centers with increases in the Medicare outpatient department fee schedule. This bill would set ASC payment updates starting in 2027 to equal the OPD fee schedule increase factor for each year.
Show full summary
- Ambulatory surgical centers: Their annual Medicare update would follow the OPD increase factor, starting in 2027.
- Budget rules: The Secretary could not apply a budget neutrality adjustment for 2027 and later years if that adjustment would preserve the same aggregate ASC spending as if the update did not apply.
- Calculation change for CMS: When measuring budget neutrality for 2027 and after, the Secretary must include expenditures from the revised ASC payment system in the adjustment computation.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Medicare outpatient surgery payment updates
This bill would require the Secretary to set annual payment updates for Medicare ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) starting in 2027. Each year's update would match the outpatient department (OPD) fee schedule increase factor in current Medicare law. The Secretary would count spending under the new ASC payment rules when calculating budget-neutrality adjustments for 2027 and later years. The Secretary would be prohibited from applying any adjustment that would force ASC spending to equal what it would have been without this change.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
LA • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 7/15/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov