CMS Releases Proposed Medicare Hospital Outpatient Payment Rates and Policies for CY 2023

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule on Friday that updates Medicare payment rates and policies under the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and the ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for calendar year (CY) 2023. The proposed rule is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on July 26.

Notable proposals include a 2.7% increase for hospital outpatient payment rates, the introduction of Rural Emergency Hospital model to improve access to care in rural settings and updates to the Inpatient Only (IPO) list.

CMS is accepting comments on the proposed rule through Sept. 13. CMS will issue the final rule with comment period in early November. AABB is analyzing the rule and will be preparing a summary of the proposals most relevant for the transfusion medicine and biotherapies community.