Monday Morning Rounds with CMS

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Posted By: HHS/ONC/CMS Communications January 12, 2026

ICYMI, here is recent communication from CMS.

News

Request for Feedback on Draft eCQM Reading and Logic Guides
CMS invites vendors and implementers to review and provide feedback on supporting resources for the upcoming electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) annual update publication for the 2027 reporting/performance period. Vendors and implementers are invited to review and comment on the DRAFT Guide for Reading eCQMs and DRAFT eCQM Logic and Implementation Guidance document for the 2027 reporting/performance period from January 6, 2026 through January 21, 2026 using the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC) Project Tracking System eCQM Issue Tracker.

CMS Announces $50 Billion in Awards to Strengthen Rural Health in All 50 States
CMS announced that all 50 states will receive awards under the Rural Health Transformation Program, a $50 billion initiative established under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation (Public Law 119-21) to strengthen and modernize health care in rural communities across the country. In 2026, states will receive first-year awards from CMS averaging $200 million within a range of $147 million to $281 million. This unprecedented federal investment will help states expand access to care in rural communities, strengthen the rural health workforce, modernize rural facilities and technology, and support innovative models that bring high-quality, dependable care closer to home.

CMS Launches Voluntary Model to Expand Access to Life-Changing Medicines, Promote Healthier Living
CMS announced a new voluntary test of a model that is designed to enable Medicare Part D plans and state Medicaid agencies to cover GLP-1 medications used for weight management and metabolic health improvement, while helping control costs for patients and taxpayers.

The Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth (BALANCE) Model builds on emerging evidence that combines access to GLP-1 medications with access to evidence-based lifestyle supports to achieve better long-term health outcomes. The model represents a major step toward potential expanded access and affordability for millions of Americans.

CMS Proposes New Mandatory Drug Payment Model to Deliver Lower Drug Prices for Beneficiaries in Medicare Part B
CMS is proposing a groundbreaking drug payment model to address the increasingly expensive cost of drugs in Medicare Part B while preserving or enhancing Medicare beneficiaries’ quality of care. Building upon the Trump Administration’s historic efforts, the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) is expected to lower spending for Medicare beneficiaries without harming their quality of care while also improving the sustainability of the Medicare program and the Medicare Trust Fund and protecting innovation.

Quality Payment Program

2025 QPP Data Submission is Now Open
CMS has opened data submission for the 2025 performance year of the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Data can be submitted and updated until March 31, 2026, 8 p.m. ET.

How to Submit and Review Your 2025 MIPS Data

Follow the steps outlined below to submit data:

  • Go to the QPP sign in page.
  • Sign in using your QPP access credentials.
  • Submit your data for the 2025 performance year or review the data reported on your behalf by a third party. (You can’t correct errors with your data after the submission period, so it’s important to make sure the data submitted on your behalf is accurate.)

2026 Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) Measure Specifications are Now Available
On December 22, 2025, CMS posted the 2026 QCDR Measure Specifications (XLSX, 633KB) in the Quality Payment Program (QPP) Resource Library. Clinicians, groups, virtual groups, subgroups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) Entities, including Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), can use this resource to search for available QCDR measures applicable to their specialty for the 2026 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance period. The fourth tab of this file, “QCDR Specifications,” includes the full set of CMS-approved QCDR measures and the QCDRs that have permission to submit the QCDR measure for the 2026 MIPS performance period. QCDR measures are only available for reporting through a CMS-approved QCDR and not a Qualified Registry.

Now Available: Updated 2026 CMS QRDA III Implementation Guide (IG) for Eligible Clinicians for the 2026 Medicare PFS Final Rule
CMS has released the updated 2026 CMS Quality Reporting Document Architecture (QRDA) Category III Implementation Guide (IG) for the Eligible Clinician program, reflecting changes finalized in the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule published on October 31, 2025. The updated QRDA III IG provides detailed requirements for Eligible Clinicians (ECs) to report electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) for Calendar Year (CY) 2026 quality reporting programs.

CMS Updates eCQI Resource Center with MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) Integration
CMS has updated the Electronic Clinical Quality Improvement (eCQI) Resource Center to strengthen continuity and connections across CMS resources. The 2026 Eligible Clinician eCQMs table now includes direct links to MIPS Quality and MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) on the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website.

MIPS News

MIPS Value Pathways (MVP) Candidate Feedback Period Open for 30 Days
The public has 30 days to provide feedback before the 2027 MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) are potentially proposed in rulemaking. January 5, 2026 is the start of the 30-day feedback period for the 2027 rulemaking process.

Events

2026 CMS Burden Reduction Conference
When: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Time: 9:00am – 1:00pm ET
Where: Hybrid

This year’s conference will be a hybrid event, with in-person programming at the Hubert H. Humphrey (HHH) Building in Washington, DC, and a fully supported virtual option for remote attendees. In-person attendance will be limited due to space.

Building on insights and successes from the 2023 and 2024 Optimizing Healthcare Delivery conferences, this year’s event will convene change makers from the healthcare community and federal government to share new ideas, lessons learned, and best practices aimed at increasing transparency, transforming chronic care, and empowering clinicians and patients through the use of Artificial Intelligence.

More details, including session topics and speaker announcements, will be shared soon.

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