On July 25, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the calendar year (CY) 2019 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS)/ambulatory surgical center (ASC) proposed rule. In addition to standard updates, the OPPS proposed rule would expand Medicare site-neutral payment policies in several areas and make changes to the payment policies for 340B-acquired and other drugs. "CMS has once again shown a lack of understanding about the reality in which hospitals and health systems operate daily to serve the needs of their communities. CMS has misconstrued congressional intent with its proposal to cut payments for hospital clinic services in 'excepted' off-campus hospital provider-based departments," the American Hospital Association (AHA) said in a statement. "CMS also stepped up its assault on 340B hospitals that serve vulnerable communities by expanding last year's nearly 30 percent cut to outpatient drug payments to a significant number of additional hospital outpatient departments and life-saving drugs." Comments on the proposed rule are due by Sept. 24. Read more in the AHA Special Bulletin.​​​​​