# Summary
The CHC REBASE Act of 2026 modifies how Medicare pays federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), which serve millions of low-income and underserved patients. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adjust payment rates starting in 2028 to account for increased service intensity and costs at these centers, aiming to ensure payments equal 100 percent of reasonable operating costs rather than the reduced amounts currently paid. The legislation also establishes a working group composed of health center representatives, patients, physicians, and government officials to examine payment adjustments and recommend improvements to the payment system within one year. Additionally, the bill clarifies how telehealth services provided by FQHCs are reimbursed starting in 2027 and requires the government to issue guidance by the end of 2026 on how to properly pay FQHCs for services delivered to Medicare Advantage enrollees, with the Government Accountability Office to report within six months on FQHC access in Medicare Advantage networks.