NASW Comments on 2026 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule

Practice

NASW submitted comments to the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning its 2026 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; and Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program.

Among the comments, NASW noted it strongly opposes the CMS proposal to update quality measure inventory by removing “health equity” from the definition of a high-priority measure. “We are concerned that it would diminish the emphasis on reducing health disparities and could minimize incentives to address equity in care delivery. This proposal is also not in alignment with CMS’s foundational pillar of advancing health equity, which emphasizes the importance of integrating equity into all aspects of quality measurement and care improvement,” NASW said.

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