MedPAC’s September 2026 public meeting was held virtually and in person, with a limited number of seats available for the public to attend. A public comment period was open to in-person attendees.
The Horizon Ballroom
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004
Agenda
09/03/2026 . 11:00 am - 12:45 pm
Context for Medicare payment policy
Staff Contacts:
ISSUE: Each year in our March report to the Congress, we describe Medicare’s overall financial situation and some ways that Medicare affects, and is affected by, the broader health care sector.
KEY POINTS: This information is meant to serve as a backdrop for commissioners’ discussions over the coming cycle.
ACTION: Commissioners will review and discuss the material.
09/03/2026 . 12:45 pm - 1:00 pm
Public comment
Staff Contacts:
09/03/2026 . 2:30 pm - 3:55 pm
Issues and potential policy directions in Part D
Staff Contacts:
ISSUE: Part D has been successful in many regards—achieving high enrollment and satisfaction among enrollees, providing multiple plan options for beneficiaries, and encouraging enrollees to use generic drugs. However, it also faces challenges.
KEY POINTS: Recent changes under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 have improved affordability of prescriptions but may be contributing to faster spending growth, which puts upward pressure on premiums and program spending.
ACTION: Commissioners will review the material and discuss directions for future work.
09/03/2026 . 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Workplan: Ambulatory surgical centers
Staff Contacts:
ISSUE: Each year, we provide a status report on ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), which examines fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries’ access to ASC care, changes in the number of ASCs, changes in FFS Medicare’s payments to ASCs, and, to the extent possible, an assessment of ASC quality.
KEY POINTS: Commissioners have expressed interest in knowing more about the distribution of ASCs across markets, the structure of ASC ownership, and the impact of ASC growth on FFS Medicare’s outpatient surgical volume.
ACTION: Commissioners will review and discuss the workplan.
09/03/2026 . 5:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Public comment
Staff Contacts:
09/04/2026 . 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Examining use of post-acute care services by beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage
Staff Contacts:
ISSUE: Beneficiaries enrolled in FFS Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA) may use care differently because each program has its own incentives that shape where beneficiaries get their care and how much they receive.
KEY POINTS: Commissioners have expressed interest in better understanding how beneficiaries in the two programs receive post-acute care (PAC).
ACTION: Commissioners will review and discuss initial findings from an analysis of acute care hospital and PAC use by FFS and MA enrollees.
09/04/2026 . 10:35 am - 11:45 am
Accuracy of Medicare Advantage risk adjustment at the plan level
Staff Contacts:
ISSUE:MA plans are paid a monthly capitated amount that is risk adjusted to account for the expected spending for plan enrollees. The goal of risk adjustment is to predict costs accurately for groups of enrollees so that plans are compensated fairly for enrolling higher or lower risk populations. Accurate risk adjustment is necessary for fostering competition among plans.
KEY POINTS: The current risk adjustment system could be improved to produce more accurate plan payments.
ACTION: Commissioners will review and discuss MA’s risk-adjustment system.
09/04/2026 . 11:45 am - 12:00 pm
Public comment
Staff Contacts: