Legis Daily

Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026

USA119th CongressS-5180| Senate 
| Updated: 7/30/2026
John Boozman

John Boozman

Republican Senator

Arkansas

Cosponsors (5)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Roger Marshall (Republican)Thomas Tillis (Republican)Angus S. King (Independent)Peter Welch (Democratic)

Finance Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This bill, known as the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, seeks to enhance the stability of payments to healthcare providers under the Medicare program. A key provision involves updating the budget neutrality threshold for physician payments, significantly increasing it from $20,000,000 to $57,640,000 for 2028, with subsequent annual indexing and further adjustments every five years based on the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). The legislation also introduces a mechanism to correct payment rates when initial budget neutrality adjustments are based on inaccurate utilization estimates. Beginning in 2029, if the difference between estimated and actual utilization for specified services exceeds a 0.1 percent threshold, the Secretary must adjust the conversion factor in a future "assumption correction period" to reconcile this difference. These reconciliation adjustments are explicitly excluded from further budget neutrality calculations, preventing cascading effects. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the Secretary must update the prices and rates for direct cost inputs , such as clinical staff wages, medical supplies, and equipment, used in calculating practice expense relative value units (RVUs) at least once every five years. These updates must be simultaneous across all categories and involve consultation with relevant stakeholders. Finally, starting in 2028, the bill limits the year-to-year budget neutrality adjustment to the Medicare physician fee schedule conversion factor to a maximum variance of 2.5 percent , providing greater predictability for providers while maintaining the overall budget neutrality requirement.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
May 21, 2026

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-8163
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Jul 30, 2026
Introduced in Senate
Jul 30, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  • May 21, 2026

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-8163
    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held


  • July 30, 2026
    Introduced in Senate


  • July 30, 2026
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Health

Related Bills

  • HR 119-9693: Patients First Act of 2026
  • HR 119-8163: Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026

Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026

USA119th CongressS-5180| Senate 
| Updated: 7/30/2026
This bill, known as the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, seeks to enhance the stability of payments to healthcare providers under the Medicare program. A key provision involves updating the budget neutrality threshold for physician payments, significantly increasing it from $20,000,000 to $57,640,000 for 2028, with subsequent annual indexing and further adjustments every five years based on the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). The legislation also introduces a mechanism to correct payment rates when initial budget neutrality adjustments are based on inaccurate utilization estimates. Beginning in 2029, if the difference between estimated and actual utilization for specified services exceeds a 0.1 percent threshold, the Secretary must adjust the conversion factor in a future "assumption correction period" to reconcile this difference. These reconciliation adjustments are explicitly excluded from further budget neutrality calculations, preventing cascading effects. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the Secretary must update the prices and rates for direct cost inputs , such as clinical staff wages, medical supplies, and equipment, used in calculating practice expense relative value units (RVUs) at least once every five years. These updates must be simultaneous across all categories and involve consultation with relevant stakeholders. Finally, starting in 2028, the bill limits the year-to-year budget neutrality adjustment to the Medicare physician fee schedule conversion factor to a maximum variance of 2.5 percent , providing greater predictability for providers while maintaining the overall budget neutrality requirement.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
May 21, 2026

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-8163
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Jul 30, 2026
Introduced in Senate
Jul 30, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
  • May 21, 2026

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-8163
    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held


  • July 30, 2026
    Introduced in Senate


  • July 30, 2026
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
John Boozman

John Boozman

Republican Senator

Arkansas

Cosponsors (5)
Jeanne Shaheen (Democratic)Roger Marshall (Republican)Thomas Tillis (Republican)Angus S. King (Independent)Peter Welch (Democratic)

Finance Committee

Health

Related Bills

  • HR 119-9693: Patients First Act of 2026
  • HR 119-8163: Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted