There have been a flurry of CMS policy updates and controversies over the course of the last month that could reshape reimbursement, supply chain and clinical decision-making for ASC leaders and physicians.
Here are four CMS updates that ASC leaders should know since March 1:
1. CMS has finalized a rule to phase out faxing and mailing for healthcare claims documentation, which it estimates will save the healthcare industry $781 million annually. The rule takes effect May 19 and applies to HIPAA-covered entities, including health plans, healthcare clearinghouses and healthcare providers that conduct electronic transactions. Covered entities must comply by May 19, 2028.
2. The American Society of Anesthesiologists is urging CMS not to proceed with proposed policies that would end coverage of peripheral nerve blocks for chronic pain.ASA applauded 25 bipartisan members of Congress for signing a letter to CMS opposing the changes, which were introduced by five regional Medicare administrative contractors. The lawmakers warned that restricting access to non-opioid alternatives like peripheral nerve blocks could increase opioid use and misuse among Medicare beneficiaries.
3. CMS plans to transition to an independent dispute resolution “gateway” during the second half of 2026. The federal agency will move away from single-use web forms, instead relying on “a secure, centralized platform” for managing disputes. Platform users can initiate or follow up with disputes, track them, or view dashboards and reports for their organizations.
The IDR process is a product of the No Surprises Act, which remains contentious, spurring investigations and lawsuits into 2026. Since 2022, the IDR process has cost $5 billion, according to a 2025 Health Affairs study. These expenses stem from administrative fees, accounting for $2.8 billion, as well as insurer and provider costs to manage disputes. Within the first few months of the IDR portal’s launch in 2022, HHS received 90,000 claims, generating a backlog.
4. Since CMS implemented a six-month nationwide moratorium on new Medicare enrollment for certain durable medical equipment suppliers, the Justice Department has announced at least four settlements and sentences tied to DME fraud schemes. CMS said it stopped more than $1.5 billion in suspected fraudulent durable medical equipment, prosthetics and orthotics suppliers billing last year.
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