STS Submits Important Feedback to CMS Hospital Inpatient Rule

STS submitted a response to the proposed Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) hospital inpatient rule.  

Key highlights included:  

• Recommendations for improving the Transforming Episode Accountability Model, which will impact all coronary artery bypass grafting procedures at select hospitals starting in January 2026. 
• Suggestions for programs like the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System, global surgical post-operative data reporting, and the appropriate use criteria program for deregulation.
• Examples of ways CMS can enhance data quality through standardized collection of unique device identifiers and improved imaging interoperability. Additionally, we continue to advocate for access to federal claims data to support long-term clinical outcomes research.  

Read the full letter.  

Senate Intensifies Negotiations on the Reconciliation Bill

The Senate needs to hear from surgeons about reconciliation! Make your voice heard now.

• There are key concerns regarding the legislation, including substantial cuts to Medicaid, which could leave millions of people uninsured.
• The proposed increases to Medicare physician payments are modest despite ongoing financial pressures.

Legislation includes significant changes to federal student loan programs that could reduce access to affordable financing for medical education.