MedPAC’s commissioners held their latest public meeting on Thursday, January 15 and Friday, January 16. The primary subject of the meeting was discussion of MedPAC’s preliminary recommendations for Medicare rates for 2027. The topics on the meeting’s agenda were:
- Medicare payments for hospital inpatient and outpatient services
- Medicare payments for physicians and other health professional services
- Medicare payments for skilled nursing facility services, home health agency services, inpatient rehabilitation facility services, outpatient dialysis, and hospice services
- mandated reports on dual-eligible special-needs plans and the impact of recent changes in the home health prospective payment system
- status reports on the Medicare Advantage program, ambulatory surgical centers, and the Medicare prescription drug (Part D) program
- an analysis of recent increases in Part D bids
MedPAC’s preliminary recommendations for 2027 Medicare rates were:
- hospital inpatient and outpatient rates – an increase by the amount currently provided for by law
- physician and other provider rates – an increase by the amount currently provided for by current law plus 0.5 percent
- skilled nursing facilities – a four percent reduction
- inpatient rehabilitation facilities – a seven percent reduction
- home health services – a seven percent reduction
- hospice services – no change in rates
MedPAC will vote on its final recommendations at a future meeting.
Go here for summaries of the issues and key points and links to the presentations delivered by MedPAC staff and go here for a transcript of the two-day session.
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is an independent congressional agency that advises Congress on issues involving Medicare. While its recommendations are not binding on either Congress or the administration, MedPAC is highly influential in governing circles and its recommendations often find their way into legislation, regulations, and new public policy. Find its web page here.