MDinteractive joined Accountable Care Organization (ACO) leaders and industry partners at the 2026 Fall NAACOS Conference, where new payment models, quality reporting, and digital health technology were prominent themes. For ACOs, these developments raise a practical question: how can they meet current demands while building the capabilities they will need next?

Update: 2027 MIPS payment adjustment information is now available on the QPP website. The deadline to request a targeted review is November 30, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET. CMS has released final scores and performance feedback for the 2025 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance year. These results are more than a summary of last year’s reporting: your 2025 final score determines the MIPS payment adjustment applied to your Medicare Part B covered professional services in 2027.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a significant change to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): traditional MIPS would end after the 2028 performance year, and MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) would become the only MIPS reporting option beginning with the 2029 performance year for clinicians who are not participating in a MIPS Alternative Payment Model (APM).

Success in the 2026 MIPS performance year starts with staying ahead of important deadlines. From data collection to final submission, knowing what’s due and when can make all the difference in your performance outcomes. Use the timeline below to keep your team aligned, prepared, and on track all year long.

In 2025, Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) were required to report the APP Plus measure set for the first time. For 2026, the measure set expands to eight measures, and CMS has set the quality performance standard at 73.85, based on the 40th percentile of MIPS Quality performance category scores. This is down from 76.70 in 2025. An ACO’s reporting pathway affects how it may meet this standard and become eligible for the maximum sharing rate available under its track. Actual shared savings remain dependent on the ACO’s financial performance.

CMS released the 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule on July 14, 2026. The rule proposes to sunset traditional MIPS after the 2028 performance period, giving clinicians a firm timeline for the long-anticipated transition to MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs). It also includes changes to quality reporting, the Promoting Interoperability performance category, and Advanced APM participation. The public comment period closes September 14, 2026, and CMS is expected to publish a final rule later this year. Understanding what’s being proposed and how it may affect future reporting requirements is critical, particularly as the program moves toward full MVP implementation.

On July 14, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule, which includes some of the most significant proposed changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in recent years. While the rule touches on benchmarking, beneficiary assignment, and engagement, the quality reporting and CEHRT provisions deserve particular attention. The public comment period closes September 14, 2026. Because these policies are proposed, they are not yet final. CMS will review public comments before issuing the final rule later this year.

Beginning January 1, 2027, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will launch the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM), a mandatory payment model designed to expand value-based care into outpatient specialty practice. Unlike previous CMS Innovation Center models that largely focused on hospitals or primary care, ASM is aimed specifically at specialists managing high-cost chronic conditions in ambulatory settings.