Compliance and program development news: week of September 28, 2026
CMS revised a nursing home survey memo, finalized the GLOBE Model, published corrections to FY 2027 Medicare payment rules and announced Rural Health Transformation Program funding. URAC reported new Department of Labor mental health parity guidance.
Compliance: CMS posted a revised version of policy memo QSO-26-14-NH, "Nursing Home Risk-Based Survey National Implementation", on September 29, 2026. CMS lists the memo's original release as July 16, 2026. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "REVISED: Nursing Home Risk-Based Survey National Implementation (QSO-26-14-NH REVISED)", September 29, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/health-safety-standards/quality-safety-oversight-general-information/policy-memos/policy-memos-states-cms-locations/revised-nursing-home-risk-based-survey-national-implementation
URAC reported on September 29, 2026 that the U.S. Department of Labor "…has issued new guidance outlining where it will focus enforcement of federal mental health parity requirements." URAC wrote that the guidance highlights three areas: "…exclusions that limit access to treatment; medical necessity and review processes, including prior authorization and utilization review; and network adequacy, including how providers are admitted to networks and reimbursed." Source: URAC, "Department of Labor Issues New Mental Health Parity Guidance", September 29, 2026. https://www.urac.org/blog/department-of-labor-issues-new-mental-health-parity-guidance/
CMS finalized the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) Model, "…a new mandatory Medicare payment model under section 1115A of the Social Security Act." CMS states the model will operate from January 1, 2027 to March 31, 2032. It will apply to "…Medicare beneficiaries who reside in a randomly selected subset of geographic areas, encompassing approximately 25% of total Medicare beneficiaries who have Original Medicare as their primary coverage." Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "CMS Finalizes New Mandatory Drug Payment Model to Deliver Lower Drug Prices for Beneficiaries in Original Medicare Part B", September 30, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-finalizes-new-mandatory-drug-payment-model-deliver-lower-drug-prices-beneficiaries-original Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Federal Register), "Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) Model (Rule; FR Doc. 2026-20281)", October 2, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-10-02/html/2026-20281.htm
CMS published a correction of "…technical and typographical errors in the final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on August 4, 2026…" for the FY 2027 hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital prospective payment systems. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Federal Register), "Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; Other Policy Changes; and Adoption of Updated Versions of Certain Health Information Technology Standards; Correction (Rule; FR Doc. 2026-19946)", September 29, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-09-29/html/2026-19946.htm
CMS published a correction that "…corrects technical errors in the final rule that appeared in the July 31, 2026 Federal Register…" for the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system and quality reporting program for FY 2027. The correction is effective October 1, 2026. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Federal Register), "Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2027; Correction (Rule; FR Doc. 2026-19959)", September 30, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-09-30/html/2026-19959.htm
CMS published a correction that "…corrects technical errors in the final rule that appeared in the August 3, 2026 Federal Register…" for the FY 2027 hospice wage index, payment rate update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program requirements. The correction is effective October 1, 2026. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Federal Register), "Medicare Program; FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements; Correction (Rule; FR Doc. 2026-20067)", September 30, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-09-30/html/2026-20067.htm
CMS published a correction that "…corrects technical errors in the final action that appeared in the July 31, 2026 Federal Register…" for the FY 2027 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System rate update. The correction changes the IPF PPS Federal per diem base rate from $912.40 to $912.13. It is effective October 1, 2026. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Federal Register), "Medicare Program; FY 2027 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System—Rate Update; Correction (Rule; FR Doc. 2026-20134)", October 1, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-10-01/html/2026-20134.htm
CMS published a correction that "…corrects technical errors in the final rule that appeared in the August 3, 2026 Federal Register…" for the FY 2027 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System and IRF Quality Reporting Program. The correction is effective October 1, 2026. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Federal Register), "Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2027 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program; Correction (Rule; FR Doc. 2026-20131)", October 1, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-10-01/html/2026-20131.htm
Program development: On September 29, 2026, CMS announced "…an $8.7 million investment…" for rural Montana through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). CMS states the investment "…will provide 79 rural emergency medical service (EMS) agencies with new ambulances and lifesaving medical equipment…" and that the funding is "…supporting new ambulances for four agencies. An additional 75 agencies, including three tribal governments, received funding for much-needed equipment…" Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "Trump Administration Announces $8.7 Million for New Ambulances and Lifesaving Medical Equipment Upgrades Across Rural Montana", September 29, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-8-7-million-new-ambulances-lifesaving-medical-equipment-upgrades
On September 30, 2026, CMS announced "…a $20 million investment…" for rural North Carolina through the RHTP. CMS states "This funding will support North Carolina’s Rural Health Innovation Fund, making funding available to eligible providers for technology upgrades and other digital healthcare advancements." Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "Trump Administration Announces $20 Million to Expand Telehealth Access and Upgrade Healthcare Technology Across Rural North Carolina", September 30, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-20-million-expand-telehealth-access-upgrade-healthcare-technology
On October 1, 2026, CMS announced "…nearly $55 million in federal funding…" for Alabama through the RHTP. CMS states "The investment will support 34 grants to healthcare providers and institutions serving rural communities across Alabama." Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "Trump Administration Announces Nearly $55 Million to Expand Rural Maternal and Emergency Care, Cancer Screening, and Alabama’s Rural Healthcare Workforce", October 1, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-nearly-55-million-expand-rural-maternal-emergency-care-cancer
On October 2, 2026, CMS announced $7.2 million in RHTP funding for South Dakota. CMS states the funding "…will deliver $7.2 million to 25 projects led by local ambulance services, hospitals, community organizations, education partners, and statewide EMS support organizations." Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "Trump Administration Announces $7.2 Million to Expand Ambulance-Based Telemedicine and Upgrade Emergency Communications Across South Dakota", October 2, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-7-2-million-expand-ambulance-based-telemedicine-upgrade-emergency
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