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September 26, 2026

Takeaways from the most recent news in the technology and policies shaping healthcare.

Finance

CMS Finalizes 2.3% FY2027 Pay Bumps for Rehab, Hospices

CMS finalized its fiscal 2027 payment rules for inpatient rehabilitation facilities and hospices on July 30, according to Becker's Hospital Review. Both settings will receive a 2.3% payment increase in the coming fiscal year.

For inpatient rehabilitation facilities, the 2.3% bump lands slightly below the 2.4% increase CMS proposed in April. The update reflects a 3.2% market basket increase, offset by productivity and other adjustments. Hospices will see the same 2.3% headline increase, the standard update process CMS applies annually to keep base payment rates aligned with inflation and cost trends.

The two rules follow a steady cadence of CMS final payment decisions across care settings this summer. For operators, the practical takeaway is modest: the increases are thin relative to persistent labor and supply cost pressures, and the IRF cut from the proposed rate signals CMS is holding a tight line. Finance teams should update their fiscal 2027 revenue models accordingly and watch for the full rule text detailing quality reporting changes.

More in Finance

Finance

UChicago Medicine Shifts Staff to Harder Revenue Cycle Work

UChicago Medicine is automating routine revenue cycle tasks and shifting staff to complex cases requiring human judgment.

Why it matters: It shows how hospitals can use automation to redeploy scarce revenue cycle talent rather than just cut jobs, easing margin and staffing pressure.

Finance

Oklahoma Health Campus Renamed After $150M Hamm Gift

Energy executive Harold Hamm's $150 million gift, the largest in University of Oklahoma history, will rename its Oklahoma City health campus home to OU Health.

Why it matters: Large philanthropic gifts are becoming essential capital for academic health systems operating on thin margins.

Finance

Chris Allen Named CFO of $6B UChicago Medicine

Chris Allen has been named executive vice president and CFO of the roughly $6 billion UChicago Medicine, returning to the system where he started as a budget analyst in the 1990s.

Why it matters: CFO leadership at large academic health systems is pivotal as hospitals fight to protect margins amid rising costs and heavy capital needs.