Register: CMS Webinar on Drug Acquisition Cost Survey Dec. 9 or 11
On Nov. 25, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the calendar year 2026 Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS)
rule. As part of the final rule, CMS established the OPPS Drug Acquisition Cost Survey in response to an April 15
Executive Order requiring the Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services to conduct a survey and determine hospital acquisition costs for covered outpatient drugs at hospital outpatient departments. CMS announced it will launch the survey via the Fee-for-Service Data Collection System on Jan. 1, 2026.
To assist hospitals in preparing for the survey, CMS is hosting a one-hour webinar, intended for hospital representatives who have already been identified by CMS as responsible for registering with the Data Collection System.
The webinar will be offered twice: on Dec. 9 and Dec. 11, both starting at noon CT. Interested attendees may register for the date that works best for them here.
The webinar will cover the purpose of the survey; system registration and the data submitter role; how to prepare for data submission; a demonstration of the Data Collection System; and where to find resources and support. There will also be a Q&A session. More information about the survey and webinar can be found
here.
FDA Digital Health Pilot to Expand Access to Chronic Disease Technologies
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
announced the launch of the Technology-Enabled Meaningful Patient Outcomes (TEMPO) for Digital Health Devices Pilot, a voluntary initiative developed to promote access to certain digital health devices. The pilot supports the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) model, which aims to increase beneficiary access to technology-enabled, integrated care.
Under the TEMPO pilot, participating digital health device manufacturers will offer devices intended to provide care covered by the ACCESS program, and will collect, monitor, and report real-world performance data. The FDA announcement said the pilot will help the FDA and CMS better understand how digital health technologies perform in real-life settings and how they may support efforts to improve care for people living with chronic diseases. The FDA will collect statements of interest for participation in the pilot beginning in January. The FDA said it expects to select up to 10 manufacturers in each of the four clinical use areas of the ACCESS Model for participation in the TEMPO pilot.
ACIP Updates Recommendation for Hepatitis B Vaccine at Birth
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Friday
recommended individually based decision-making for parents deciding whether to give the hepatitis B vaccine, including the birth dose, to infants born to women who test negative for the virus. For infants who do not receive the vaccination at birth, ACIP recommended the initial dose be given no earlier than two months of age. However, ACIP made no change to the existing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations to vaccinate infants born to women who test positive for the virus or have an unknown virus status. The recommendations also maintain consistency with all current health coverage options for payment, according to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. ACIP’s recommendations must be formally adopted by the director of the CDC before becoming part of the CDC immunization schedule.
In response, Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Sameer Vohra issued a
response expressing concern about the “shift away from universal newborn vaccination,” and noted current Illinois guidance adopted by IDPH this fall continues to recommend hepatitis B vaccination for all newborns. Director Vohra said the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee will meet Dec. 16 to review the recent ACIP recommendation.
Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines Updated
The American Cancer Society (ACS) recently
announced updated guidelines for cervical cancer screening. The updated guideline for women at average risk and individuals with a cervix at average risk introduces two key changes: self-collection of vaginal samples for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as an option for cervical cancer screening, and new guidance on when individuals can safely stop screening for the disease. The update is published in a report in
CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the flagship journal of ACS.
Report: Pay Transparency Efforts Can Strengthen Equity in Illinois
A comprehensive new report
released today by the University of Illinois’ Project for Middle Class Renewal finds that while Illinois has made meaningful progress toward gender pay equity since implementing pay data reporting requirements under a 2021 amendment to the Equal Pay Act of 2003, significant occupational disparities in pay persist—particularly for Black and Hispanic workers in low-wage sectors.
Key findings include Black and Hispanic workers earn approximately 90-94 cents for every dollar earned by white workers after controlling for job, firm, and region, and women earn about 91–93 cents for every dollar earned by men in comparable roles, with the smallest gaps appearing in professional and managerial positions. The report recommends several steps to strengthen Illinois’ pay equity system, with an emphasis on data collection and transparency and the importance of interagency and employer engagement and coordination.
The full report, “Illinois Equal Pay Act: Comprehensive Evaluation and Policy Recommendations (2021–2023),” is available
here.
The Infectious Respiratory Disease Surveillance Dashboard from the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) provides the latest data on hospital visits, seasonal trends, lab test positivity and demographic data. IDPH also tracks COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus information through the Illinois Wastewater Surveillance System dashboard.
Briefly Noted
A recent study of microbes in the air in hospitals and planes found that the ambient air in these environments is mostly harmless and typically associated with human skin. Published in Microbiome, researchers analyzed germ samples captured on the outer service of face masks worn by air travelers and healthcare workers. While study authors said that a few potentially disease-causing germs did surface, they were in extremely low amounts and did not present signs of active infection.
Leading the News
Illinois hospital CEO to retire after a decade
Becker’s Hospital Review
Kim Bourne plans to retire as president and CEO of Taylorville (Ill.) Memorial Hospital, effective Jan. 9.
110 women hospital and health system CFOs to know | 2025
Becker’s Hospital Review
More women have been elevated into the hospital and health system CFO role recently through robust leadership pipelines, targeted sponsorship initiatives, and the growth of employee resource groups designed to support advancement.
Are hospitals prepared for site-neutral payments? 7 things to know
Becker’s Hospital Review
Hospitals have long operated in a payment landscape shaped by reimbursement differentials, with hospital-based outpatient departments receiving higher rates for many services compared to freestanding physician offices or ambulatory centers. But that model is quickly shifting as momentum builds behind site-neutral payment policies, according to a Dec. 3 report from Kaufman Hall.
