On October 31, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the CY26 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule which includes updates to physician payment policies, the Quality Payment Program (QPP), and Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). AOA has developed an in-depth resource outlining key changes physicians across specialties need to know to prepare their practices for 2026. Highlights from the guide include:
- Changes to the conversion factor for 2026;
- Payment changes to support comprehensive primary care and address upstream drivers of health;
- An overview of the newly implemented physician efficiency adjustment and AOA advocacy to prevent payment cuts;
- Discussion of the new Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM) alternative payment model; and
- Changes to the QPP, including Merit Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) scoring changes for 2026.
The AOA will also host a webinar that will be available on demand beginning December 16.