Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Outpatient Surgery Access Act of 2026 modernizes how Medicare pays for surgeries performed at ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), which are outpatient facilities where patients receive same-day surgical care. The bill primarily affects ambulatory surgical centers, Medicare beneficiaries who use these facilities, and healthcare providers. It makes two key changes: starting in 2027, ASC payment updates will match the payment increases given to hospital outpatient departments rather than following a separate formula, and it prohibits the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from making ASC-specific budget neutrality adjustments that would offset these payment increases. The legislation aims to align payment systems and potentially improve access to outpatient surgical services by ensuring ASCs receive comparable payment rate increases to hospitals.
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