Consistent with the Executive Order signed by President Trump on April 15, 2025, directing federal agencies to take actions to lower the costs of prescription drugs, CMS is conducting a survey to collect outpatient drug acquisition costs from hospitals around the country. On July 15, 2025, CMS issued the CY 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System proposed rule to update the OPPS and ASC Payment System. The proposed rule stated that CMS will be conducting a survey of the acquisition costs for each separately payable drug acquired by all hospitals paid under the OPPS  by early CY 2026.

See a summary of provisions and applicable sections of the proposed rule regarding the OPPS Drug Acquisition Cost Survey. 

On April 15, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order that stated: “Within 180 days of the date of this order, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a plan to conduct a survey under section 1833(t)(14)(D)(ii) of the Social Security Act to determine the hospital acquisition cost for covered outpatient drugs at hospital outpatient departments. Following the conclusion of this survey, the Secretary shall consider and propose any appropriate adjustments that would align Medicare payment with the cost of acquisition, consistent with the budget neutrality requirement in section 1833(t)(9)(B) of the Social Security Act and other legal requirements.”

CMS is working to implement the Executive Order, and more information will be provided on this webpage as it is available.

CMS is currently gathering contact information for hospitals who are paid through the OPPS to communicate updates and future survey directions. More information will soon be posted to this website regarding this process.

For questions, please contact [email protected].

Page Last Modified:

07/17/2025 03:59 PM