CMS’s 2026 OPPS Updates: What It Means for Hospitals and How to Prepare

In July 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a massive proposed rule outlining changes to the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payments for 2026. But this isn’t just about rate updates. It’s a shift in how outpatient care is reported, reimbursed, and regulated with deep implications for healthcare providers. 

What’s Changing in 2026? 

Starting January 1, 2026, CMS is proposing major revisions to: 

• Payment systems for hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) and ASCs
• Price transparency and charge reporting requirements
• Star rating methodology, especially around safety metrics 
• Quality reporting programs (OQR, ASCQR, REHQR) 
• Use of software as a service (SaaS) in care delivery 
• Reimbursement for outpatient services shifting from inpatient-only lists 

For many healthcare organizations, this means new workflows, tighter deadlines, and growing data demands, exactly where AI Agents can step in. 

Why Does It Matter for Healthcare Providers? 

CMS’s updates will help healthcare providers reduce administrative burden, promote price transparency, and reward safe, high-quality care. 

But meeting these changes means taking on a growing list of repetitive, time-sensitive tasks,  the kind of work AI is built to manage. 

Repetitive tasks that need AI attention: 

• Continuous compliance tracking 
• Faster data extraction from systems like EDI 835 files 
• Standardized quality submissions across multiple programs 
• Deeper insights into safety, access, and equity metrics 
• Adjusting for new reimbursement methods (e.g., market-based rates, software billing) 

These are high-volume, repetitive, time-sensitive tasks that AI Agents can handle exceptionally well. 

How Do AI Agents Fit In? 

Here’s how Droidal’s task-specific AI Agents align with CMS’s proposed updates: 

1. Hospital Price Transparency Made Simpler 

Hospitals will need to report median, 10th, and 90th percentile allowed amounts for each payer, using actual remittance data. 

AI Agents can extract, calculate, and populate these new values automatically from EDI 835s, saving hours of manual spreadsheet work. 

2. Stay Ahead of Safety-Based Star Rating Changes 

Hospitals performing in the lowest quartile for safety measures will see their star ratings capped or downgraded. 

AI Agents can monitor safety data across departments and generate early warnings for metrics like radiation exposure, imaging quality, and ED timeliness. 

3. Streamline Quality Reporting (OQR, ASCQR, REHQR) 

From removing old measures (like COVID-19 vaccination tracking) to adding new eCQMs, providers will need to pivot fast. 

AI Agents can organize and automate measure selection, data validation, and submission tracking across CMS programs. 

4. Accelerate Payment Adjustments for Drug and Device Use 

CMS plans to adjust payments for drug administration services and radiopharmaceuticals based on location and source. 

Use AI to flag claims requiring separate tracking (e.g., domestically sourced Tc-99m) and help coders apply correct HCPCS modifiers. 

5. Respond to SaaS and Market-Based Payment Models 

CMS is actively requesting input on how to structure payment for SaaS tools and market-based pricing methods. 

Droidal’s AI-backed platforms can deliver audit trails, usage metrics, and outcome analytics to support evolving SaaS billing models. 

How Can Providers Prepare? 

Compliance is only one piece of the puzzle. The real advantage comes from being proactive, anticipating changes, and using intelligent tools to adapt without burning out your team. 

That’s why healthcare providers are deploying AI Agents to: 

• Track rule changes and integrate them into claim logic 

• Pre-fill reporting templates and streamline CMS uploads 

• Match patient records with CPT/HCPCS updates automatically 

• Reduce staff burden without compromising compliance 

Whether it’s outpatient revenue capture or quality submission, Droidal’s AI Agents work silently in the background, reviewing, sorting, filing, and flagging what matters most. 

What’s Next? 

CMS is still collecting feedback on many of these proposals through September 15, 2025, but providers don’t have the luxury of waiting. With implementation set for January 1, 2026, the time to prepare is now. 

Wrapping Up

Support that feels like a digital employee is exactly what Droidal’s AI Agents deliver. Designed specifically for complex, high-volume outpatient workflows, these agents handle everything from claim submissions and CPT/HCPCS code updates to quality reporting and price transparency without disrupting daily operations.  

They extract and standardize payer data to meet CMS’s evolving pricing requirements, analyze safety metrics to help safeguard your hospital’s star rating, and accelerate eCQM submissions across OQR, ASCQR, and REHQR programs. More importantly, they reduce administrative workload while boosting audit readiness.  

Want to see how AI Agents can support your workflow? Schedule a live demo and get a free AI Agent trial tailored to your needs.