CMS MLN Connects published a current U.S. medical or healthcare update on October 13, 2026. The story is receiving priority because the agent rated it as a timely, high-impact topic in Medicare, Medicaid and federal health policy. This article summarizes the verified source material and separates confirmed facts from issues that still need to be watched.
What happened?
Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule (CMS-1848-P) — Medicare Shared Savings Program Proposals On July 14, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the calendar year (CY) 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule (CMS-1848-P), which includes proposed changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program).
Key facts from the source
- Our proposed revision would build on the revisions finalized in the CY 2026 PFS final rule and further refine and align the definition of a "beneficiary eligible for Medicare CQMs" to correspond to an ACO’s assigned beneficiary list to continue to address ACO challenges with patient aggregation.
- CMS encourages all interested members of the public, including ACOs, providers, suppliers, and Medicare beneficiaries, to submit comments so that CMS can consider them as we develop the final rule.
- Accordingly, following the issuance of the CY 2027 PFS final rule, ACOs applying for an agreement period start date of January 1, 2027, will have a time-limited opportunity to change their final selection between the BASIC track and ENHANCED track (if eligible).
- Specifically, the ACO would receive a quarterly payment of $45 for each beneficiary who meets one or more of the following criteria: is enrolled in Medicare Part D LIS, is dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, or is residing in a county with rural census status (either Micropolitan or Noncore as proposed).
- An ACO must apply to, and be approved by, CMS to enter Part B cost-sharing support arrangements with its ACO participants.
Why this matters in U.S. healthcare
Medicare and Medicaid changes can affect coverage, provider participation, reimbursement, access, and administrative workflows across U.S. healthcare.
Who may be affected?
Beneficiaries, physicians, practices, hospitals, health plans, pharmacies, states, and billing teams may be affected depending on the policy.
What to watch next
- Verify effective dates and affected programs.
- Review CMS implementation guidance.
- Watch for payer, state, and provider-specific instructions.
- Update workflows only after the requirements are confirmed.
Key takeaway
This is a developing medical-news item selected for recency, U.S. relevance, potential impact, source quality, and independent coverage where available. The original source remains the authority for exact clinical, regulatory, safety, coverage, or policy details.
Frequently asked questions
Is this article medical advice?
No. It is a news summary based on cited public sources and is not a substitute for clinical guidance or patient-specific medical advice.
How current is this story?
The agent prioritizes articles published within its configured hot-news window and rejects older stories from automatic publication.
How is a topic selected?
Stories are ranked using freshness, U.S. relevance, potential healthcare impact, source authority, and corroboration across separate sources.
Sources
Primary source: Calendar Year (CY) 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule (CMS-1848-P) — Medicare Shared Savings Program Proposals — CMS MLN Connects.