March 26, 2026

HHS Adopts Standards for Health Care Claims Attachments in Final Rule

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has finalized a long-awaited rule establishing national standards for the electronic exchange of clinical documentation used in healthcare claims attachments, replacing manual processes like fax and mail. It applies to all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) covered entities and takes effect in May 2026, with compliance required by May 26, 2028. The rule also adopts standards for electronic signatures to ensure secure, authenticated transmission of this information. 

For medical groups, this means reviewing current processes for sending and receiving attachments; working with vendors, clearinghouses, or health IT partners to support the adopted standards; and planning for testing and onboarding well before the compliance date. HHS Fact Sheet and FAQs

CMS Releases Updated Advanced Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an updated version of the Advanced Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN), Form CMS-R-131. The updated ABN is effective now and expires on March 31, 2029. Medical groups may continue to use the expired version of the ABN until May 12, 2026, but must transition to the new form no later than that date

MGMA Urges Long-Term Sustainability for Physician Payment and APMs

MGMA joined physician groups in thanking congressional leaders for including an extension of the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) incentive payments in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026. This one-year extension will expire at the end of 2026 without intervention from Congress. To create long-term financial sustainability for practices, MGMA urged congressional leaders to modernize financial and non-financial incentives for physicians participating in APMs, reform Medicare's physician payment system to include a permanent annual inflationary update, and leverage the CMS Innovation Center to establish more predictable pathways for developing models.

March 19, 2026