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Advising the Congress on Medicare issues
MedPAC > Recommendations

Commission Recommendations

MedPAC makes recommendations to the Congress and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on issues affecting the administration of the Medicare program. With its recommendations, the Commission strives to improve the delivery of care, while ensuring financial stability and maximizing value for the program. After extensive analysis and evaluation, our recommendations are discussed and voted on by Commissioners in our public meetings. Recommendations are typically published in two main reports, released in March and June of each year.

Recommendations Topic(s) Publication

Ambulatory surgical center services

The Secretary should also require ambulatory surgical centers to report cost data. For calendar year 2021, in the absence of cost data, the Congress should eliminate the update to the calendar year 2020 Medicare conversion factor for ambulatory surgical centers.

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2020 - Chapter 5

Outpatient dialysis services

For CY 2021, the Congress should update the CY 2020 Medicare ESRD PPS base rate by the amount determined in current law

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2020 - Chapter 6

Ambulatory surgical center services

The Congress should eliminate the calendar year 2020 update to the Medicare conversion factor for ambulatory surgical centers. The Secretary should require ambulatory surgical centers to report cost data.

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2019 - Chapter 5

Outpatient dialysis services

For calendar year (CY) 2020, the Congress should update the CY 2019 Medicare end-stage renal disease prospective payment system base rate by the amount determined under current law.

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2019 - Chapter 6

Ambulatory surgical center services

The Congress should eliminate the calendar year 2019 update to the Medicare payment rates for ambulatory surgical centers. The Congress should also require ambulatory surgical centers to submit cost data.

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2018 - Chapter 5

Outpatient dialysis services

For 2019, the Congress should update the calendar year 2018 Medicare end-stage renal disease prospective payment system base rate by the amount determined under current law.

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2018 - Chapter 6

Ambulatory surgical care services

The Congress should eliminate the update to the payment rates for ambulatory surgical centers for calendar year 2018. The Congress should also require ambulatory surgical centers to submit cost data

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2017 - Chapter 5

Outpatient dialysis services

The Congress should increase the outpatient dialysis base payment rate by the update specified in current law for calendar year 2018.

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2017 - Chapter 6

Ambulatory surgical center services

The Congress should eliminate the update to the payment rates for ambulatory surgical centers for calendar year 2017. The Congress should also require ambulatory surgical centers to submit cost data.

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2016 - Chapter 5

Outpatient dialysis services

The Congress should increase the outpatient dialysis base payment rate by the update specified in current law for calendar year 2017.

  • Ambulatory care settings

March 2016 - Chapter 6