Compliance and accreditation news: week of October 24, 2026
HHS finalized the HTI-5 health IT rule, and CMS finalized CY 2027 ESRD payment and Organ Procurement Organization rules. ACHC announced a cold chain shipping partnership, and CMS posted Rural Health Transformation Program funding announcements.
ACHC announces cold chain shipping partnership with Thermal Shipping Solutions
Accreditation: ACHC announced a partnership with Thermal Shipping Solutions on cold chain shipping on October 29, 2026. Source: ACHC, "ACHC and Thermal Shipping Solutions Partner to Support Safe Cold Chain Shipping", October 29, 2026. https://achc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Thermal-Shipping-Solutions-Partnership-Media-Release.pdf
HHS finalizes HTI-5 deregulatory rule for health IT certification
Compliance: HHS announced the HTI-5 final rule on October 26, 2026, and it was published in the Federal Register on October 28, 2026. The rule removes and revises certain certification criteria and regulatory provisions. It is effective December 28, 2026, except amendatory instructions 7, 10, and 12, which are effective January 1, 2027. Source: ONC, "HHS Finalizes HTI-5 Deregulatory Rule to Encourage Innovation and Reduce Health IT Certification Program Compliance Costs", October 26, 2026. https://healthit.gov/news/hhs-finalizes-hti-5-deregulatory-rule-to-encourage-innovation-and-reduce-health-it-certification-program-compliance-costs/ Source: HHS, "Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: ONC Deregulatory Actions To Unleash Prosperity (Final rule; FR Doc. 2026-21943)", October 28, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-10-28/html/2026-21943.htm
CMS finalizes CY 2027 ESRD payment rule
CMS issued the CY 2027 ESRD PPS final rule on October 28, 2026, for renal dialysis services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries on or after January 1, 2027. CMS will increase the base rate to $297.52, including a $12.85 increase to account for incorporating phosphate binders, and expects total payments to all ESRD facilities, both freestanding and hospital-based, to rise by approximately 2.7%. Source: CMS, "Calendar Year (CY) 2027 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System Final Rule — CMS-1846-F", October 28, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-cy-2027-end-stage-renal-disease-esrd-prospective-payment-system-final-rule-cms-1846-f Source: CMS, "Medicare Program; CY 2027 Changes to the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System, Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Dialysis Payment, and ESRD Quality Incentive Program (Final rule; FR Doc. 2026-22194)", October 30, 2026. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-10-30/html/2026-22194.htm
CMS replaces Hypercalcemia measure in ESRD Quality Incentive Program
CMS stated on October 28, 2026: "Beginning with Payment Year (PY) 2029, CMS is replacing the Hypercalcemia reporting measure with the Facility-Level Percentage of Chronic Hyperphosphatemia in Dialysis Patients (Hyperphosphatemia) clinical measure and removing two reporting measures from the ESRD QIP." CMS is also updating the measure domains and the domain and measure weights used to calculate the total performance score. Source: CMS, "Calendar Year (CY) 2027 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System Final Rule — CMS-1846-F", October 28, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-cy-2027-end-stage-renal-disease-esrd-prospective-payment-system-final-rule-cms-1846-f
CMS finalizes revisions to Organ Procurement Organization Conditions for Coverage
A CMS fact sheet dated October 30, 2026 states: "This final rule revises the CfCs for OPOs to clarify outstanding procedural questions for recertification and competition." The rule also revises definitions, clarifies OPO designation requirements and when a service area will be open for competition, and updates the appeals process. It does not change the outcome-measure focus on donor and transplant volume or the tier structure for recertification and decertification. Source: CMS, "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Organ Procurement Organizations Conditions for Coverage: Revisions to the Conditions for Coverage, Final Rule (CMS 3409-F)", October 30, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-medicaid-programs-organ-procurement-organizations-conditions-coverage-revisions-conditions
CMS issues 2027 HCPCS update for SNF consolidated billing
CMS issued transmittal R14003CP (Change Request 14658), the 2027 annual HCPCS code update for Skilled Nursing Facility consolidated billing, on October 26, 2026, with an implementation date of January 4, 2027. Source: CMS, "2027 Annual Update of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Codes for Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Consolidated Billing (CB) Update (Transmittal R14003CP)", October 26, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/transmittals/2026-transmittals/r14003cp
Rural Health Transformation Program funding announced for Idaho and California
Program development: On October 28, 2026, the administration announced nearly $186 million in Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding for rural Idaho. Idaho has committed its full fiscal year 2026 funding. On October 29, 2026, it announced more than $233 million in RHTP funding for California, which has also committed its full fiscal year 2026 funding. Source: CMS, "Trump Administration Announces Nearly $186 Million to Expand Rural Healthcare Access, Modernize Technology, and Grow the Healthcare Workforce Across Idaho", October 28, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-nearly-186-million-expand-rural-healthcare-access-modernize Source: CMS, "Trump Administration Announces More Than $233 Million to Improve Rural Healthcare Services Across California", October 29, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-more-233-million-improve-rural-healthcare-services-across-california
Rural Health Transformation funding announced for providers in Texas and Missouri
On October 29, 2026, the administration announced $87 million in RHTP funding to 129 rural healthcare providers through Rural Texas Strong. On October 30, 2026, it announced $39.7 million in RHTP funding that will support 26 rural healthcare providers in Missouri as they renovate, reconfigure, equip, or repurpose existing facilities. Source: CMS, "Trump Administration Announces $87 Million for 129 Rural Healthcare Providers Across Texas", October 29, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-87-million-129-rural-healthcare-providers-across-texas Source: CMS, "Trump Administration Announces $39.7 Million to Modernize Rural Healthcare Across Missouri", October 30, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-39-7-million-modernize-rural-healthcare-across-missouri
Rural Health Transformation funding announced for Florida and West Virginia
CMS reported in its October 29, 2026 MLN Connects edition that $193.7 million in RHTP funding was announced for 45 organizations across Florida. On October 30, 2026, the administration announced more than $19 million in RHTP funding through 11 awards in rural West Virginia. Source: CMS, "Florida: $193M to Expand Preventive Care & Bring Specialty Care Closer", October 29, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/mln-connects-newsletter-october-29-2026 Source: CMS, "Trump Administration Announces More Than $19 Million to Expand Telehealth, Specialty Care, and the Healthcare Workforce Across West Virginia", October 30, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-announces-more-19-million-expand-telehealth-specialty-care-healthcare-workforce
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