On July 8, 2013, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed rule implementing changes to the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System for calendar year (CY) 2014.  According to CMS, relative to payments in 2013, Medicare payments for outpatient services are expected to increase 9.5 percent, or $4.37 billion, in CY 2014, and payments to ASCs are expected to increase by 3.5 percent, or $133 million.

Comments on the proposed rule are due September 6, 2013.  A copy of the proposed rule is available here and will be published in the Federal Register on July 19, 2013.  A CMS fact sheet on the proposed rule is available here.