CMS hospital payment policy is a rolling cycle — and right now, many hospitals are still working through the FY 2026 IPPS and LTCH PPS Final Rule while the FY 2027 Proposed Rule moves through CMS's rulemaking process. This 60-minute session is designed to get you current on FY 2026 so your team is ready to read, interpret, and comment on the FY 2027 Proposed Rule the moment it's released.

The webinar walks through the major policy, payment, and quality reporting updates finalized by CMS for FY 2026 — including MS-DRG classifications, relative weights, payment rate adjustments, and the impact on both acute care (IPPS) and long-term care (LTCH PPS) hospitals. It covers updates to value-based purchasing, the Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) Reduction Program, and the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), as well as new and updated documentation and reporting requirements around eCQMs, health equity, and SDOH data.

Beyond the rule itself, the session focuses on the operational and financial implications: how policy changes ripple through hospital budgeting, resource planning, CDI strategy, and coding/auditing processes — and how to align compliance, coding, CDI, revenue cycle, and finance teams to implement FY 2026 changes successfully.

Looking ahead: CMS typically releases the IPPS / LTCH PPS Proposed Rule in the spring and finalizes it in late summer, ahead of the October 1 effective date. Teams that are fluent in the FY 2026 Final Rule are positioned to spot what's new in the FY 2027 Proposed Rule, model its impact quickly, and submit informed comments during the public comment window. This webinar gets you to that starting line.

After this webinar, attendees will be able to answer:

• What did CMS finalize in the FY 2026 IPPS and LTCH PPS Final Rule, and which provisions are already in effect?
• How are MS-DRG classifications, relative weights, and payment rates changing under FY 2026, and how do those changes flow through to reimbursement?
• Which value-based and quality programs (HAC Reduction, HRRP, VBP) were modified for FY 2026, and what should hospitals be measuring now?
• What new or updated reporting and documentation requirements apply — including eCQMs, health equity, and SDOH data?
• How do the FY 2026 changes affect budgeting, CDI strategy, and coding/auditing workflows?
• How can compliance, coding, CDI, revenue cycle, and finance teams stay aligned and audit-ready?
• How does getting current on FY 2026 position my organization to respond effectively when the FY 2027 Proposed Rule is released?

Areas Covered:

• FY 2026 IPPS and LTCH PPS Final Rule — major policy and payment updates
• MS-DRG classifications, relative weights, and payment rate changes
• Impact on acute care and long-term care hospital reimbursement
• Case-mix adjustments and Medicare payment shifts
• Value-based purchasing updates
• Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) Reduction Program changes
• Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) updates
• eCQM, health equity, and SDOH reporting requirements
• Documentation and compliance implications across departments
• Budgeting, CDI, and coding/auditing workflow impact
• Cross-functional readiness: compliance, coding, CDI, revenue cycle, and finance alignment
• Positioning your team for the FY 2027 Proposed Rule release

This webinar benefits the following agencies:

• Hospitals (acute care and long-term care)
• Clinics
• Physician practices
• Compliance teams
• Coders
• Auditors
• Third-party vendors
• Home health agencies
• Revenue cycle management (RCM) teams

Who should attend?

• Hospital finance and reimbursement leaders
• Compliance officers and compliance teams
• Coding and CDI managers and staff
• Revenue cycle and billing leadership
• Auditors (internal and external)
• Quality reporting and HIM professionals
• Physician practice administrators
• Third-party vendors supporting the hospital revenue cycle and coding