Monday Morning Rounds with CMS

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Posted By: HHS/ONC/CMS Communications April 6, 2026

ICYMI, here is recent communication from CMS.

Events

CMS Listening Session on Patient Empowerment Care

When: Monday, April 13, 2026
Time: 2:30 – 3:30 pm ET
Register for this event.

The CMS Innovation Center invites you to join a virtual Beneficiary Listening Session focused on patient experiences in health care for improving access, transparency, and affordability. Hear from beneficiaries, caregivers, and advocates about their real-world experiences using digital tools to navigate care, understand costs, and manage health conditions. We encourage you to submit questions in advance through the registration page or ask them during the session. You may also choose to remain anonymous.

News

New Initiative Expands Clinician-Guided Access to Eligible Hemp-Derived Products in Three Models
Eligible organizations participating in the Innovation Center’s ACO REACH and Enhancing Oncology Models may now begin offering a new, optional Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) starting April 1, 2026. The Substance Access BEI will also be available in the Long-term Enhanced ACO Design (LEAD) Model, which begins on January 1, 2027. Through this optional incentive, eligible hemp-derived products can be incorporated into patient care plans under clinician guidance, consistent with model requirements and applicable law.

CMS Invites ACOs to Apply to the New LEAD Model
CMS released the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Long-term Enhanced ACO Design (LEAD) Model, which aims to expand the benefits of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to more Medicare beneficiaries; the model supports a broad range of participants and providers by offering enhanced support to small, independent, and rural practices delivering primary care, as well as those serving high-needs beneficiaries, and introduces new flexibilities and opportunities for specialist integration and health promotion.

HHS and CMS Announce Healthcare Advisory Committee Members to Improve Patient Care and Modernize the U.S. Healthcare System
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the members of the Healthcare Advisory Committee, a new federal advisory body comprised of leaders from across the healthcare system to provide expert advice on improving, strengthening and modernizing U.S. healthcare.

New ASPIRE Model to Deliver Support to Children and Youth with Complex Medical Needs
CMS is launching the Accelerating State Pediatric Innovation Readiness and Effectiveness Model (ASPIRE) Model to help children up to age 21 with complex medical and behavioral needs live healthier lives through whole-person care delivery in Medicaid and CHIP, including wrap-around services to address physical and behavioral health needs.

HHS Finalizes Rule on Standards for Health Care Claims Attachments and Electronic Signatures
CMS, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is making shareholders aware of the “Adoption of Standards for Health Care Claims Attachments Transactions and Electronic Signatures (CMS-0053-F)” Final Rule that displayed on March 20, 2026, and will published on March 24, 2026 in the Federal Register. This groundbreaking final rule establishes the first-ever HIPAA-adopted standards for health care claims attachments, enabling the secure electronic submission of supporting clinical documentation for claims such as: medical records, x-rays and imaging, clinical notes, telemedicine visit documentation, and laboratory results.

MIPS News

2026 MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) Registration Now Open
The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathways (MVPs) registration window is open for the 2026 performance year. Individuals, groups, subgroups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entities that wish to report an MVP can register until November 30, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET. To register, you’ll sign in to the QPP website with your HCQIS Access and Roles Profile (HARP) account. You must have a HARP account and QPP Security Official role to complete the MVP Registration.

Administrative Simplification

CMS Rule Phases Out Fax Machines, Snail Mail to Save Taxpayers $781.98 Million a Year
CMS is slashing wasteful spending and antiquated paperwork by swapping out faxing and mailing for streamlined electronic transactions. This action lets providers spend less time on administrative hassle and more time caring for patients. The Administrative Simplification; Adoption of Standards for Health Care Claims Attachments Transactions and Electronic Signatures Final Rule is projected to save the healthcare industry roughly $781 million annually by establishing national standards for the electronic exchange of clinical documentation used to support health care claims. The rule also adopts standards for electronic signatures to ensure secure, authenticated transmission of this information.

MLN Matters Articles

Claims, Pricers, & Codes

CMS Innovation Center