(July 17, 2026) – MLN Connects Provider eNews from the Medicare Learning Network
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the following updates in the MLN Connects Provider eNews:
CMS Reminds Hospitals to Review 2026 Publicly Reported Data
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is reminding hospitals to review their 2026 Deficit Reduction Act Hospital-Acquired Condition Measures before the data is publicly reported on data.cms.gov.
The preview period will end on Thursday, July 23. Hospitals should review their hospital-specific report, available via the Hospital Quality Reporting system. Any questions about calculations should be submitted via the QualityNet Question and Answer Tool before 1:59 a.m. on July 23.
Hospitals cannot correct or add claims data and should not include personally identifiable information or protected health information. Instead, hospital teams should use the report ID number when referencing HSR content.
Measures in the report include:
- Foreign object retained after surgery
- Air embolism
- Blood incompatibility
- Falls and trauma (includes fractures, dislocations, intracranial injuries, crushing injuries, burns and other injuries)
Additional information on the Publicly Reported DRA HCA Measures is available on the CMS website.
CMS Releases CY 2027 Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Payment and Policy Updates
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule payment and policy updates for calendar year 2027. Comments are due by Monday, Sept. 14.
Before You Go ...
A new Common Health Coalition brief highlights the growing impact of extreme heat on hospitals and communities, estimating that a single five-day heat wave could result in thousands of emergency department visits and nearly $870 million in costs for one state. The report emphasizes the importance of public health preparedness and coordinated health care response to reduce illness and save lives.