CMS releases proposed updates to quality payment program

On July 14, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule, which includes potential revisions to the quality payment program. Highlights of the proposed revisions that may affect sleep medicine professionals include: 

• CMS is proposing to phase out the traditional Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting option after the CY 2028 performance period. Beginning in 2029, clinicians would report through either MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) or the MIPS Alternative Payment Model Performance Pathway. 
• CMS is proposing a total of 180 quality measures for the CY 2027 performance period. 
• CMS is proposing three new MVPs: diabetic disease, hospitalist, and hypertension. 
• CMS is proposing modifications to the 27 MVPs that were previously finalized. 
• CMS is proposing to require MIPS–eligible clinicians to report a MIPS core measure. Clinicians in small practices would be exempt from this requirement. 
• CMS is seeking stakeholder feedback through requests for information on the implementation timeline for Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, the MVP scoring methodology, and the star rating assignment methodology. 

AASM Quality & Health Policy staff will review the revisions and develop comments on behalf of the AASM membership. Comments in response to the proposed rule can be submitted to CMS here until Sept. 14, 2026.

The complete 2027 proposed rule and fact sheet are available for review. A complete analysis of the rule is forthcoming. In the meantime, questions may be sent to the AASM Quality & Health Policy team at quality@aasm.org.