CMS has added 10 new procedure codes to the list of procedures Medicare pays ASCs to perform, according to an Oct. 8 transmittal outlining the agency’s October 2026 ASC payment system update.
The highest-paying addition, code 1091T for permanent carotid artery filter placement, carries a national payment rate of $11,912.65 in ASCs and is classified as device-intensive, according to CMS’ October addenda. The code replaces HCPCS code C8010, which described the same procedure. Two knee cartilage scaffold implant codes, 1092T for open procedures and 1093T for arthroscopic procedures, are also device-intensive, with national rates of $4,682.29 and $2,084.06, respectively.
The update, effective Oct. 1, also adds 12 drug codes with pass-through status and eight skin substitute codes, and deletes 10 drug codes as of Sept. 30. CMS also expanded the non-opioid pain relief code C9812 to include Stimuplex nerve block needles, with payment capped at $1,997.16, effective retroactively to April 30.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.
