AAHKS Comments on CMS IPPS Proposed Rule

This week, AAHKS submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) proposed rule for fiscal year 2026. Our comments included general support for proposed increases to Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-DRGs) for TJA and the creation of a DRG for PJI, while emphasizing that ongoing annual increases in Medicare facility payments for arthroplasty present a stark contrast with severely decreasing payments for arthroplasty under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). In addition, AAHKS commented on proposals for expanding the timeframe for hospitals to prepare for changes to the Hospital Level Risk-Standardized Complication Rate Following Elective Primary THA and/or TKA and the upcoming Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) APM. For more information, read the letter.