In its March 2026 report to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommends implementing the Medicare Safety‑Net Index (MSNI) and adding $1 billion to the MSNI pool to support hospitals caring for low-income Medicare patients.
MedPAC also recommends:
- For 2027, updating the 2026 Medicare base payment rates for general acute-care hospitals by the amount reflected in current law
- Expanding site-neutral policies to align Medicare’s payment rates for similar services across ambulatory settings
- Ensuring payment accuracy and transparency in Medicare Advantage to incentivize plans to improve quality and reduce costs for beneficiaries and taxpayers
The report also includes chapters on Medicare Part D trends, home health payment reforms, dual-eligible special needs plan performance, and broader Medicare program payment and quality issues.
Contact Director of Policy Rob Nelb, MPH, at rnelb@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.
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