WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office-Based Facility Association (OBFA) submitted a comprehensive comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the proposed rule for the CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule and is applauding a new Medicare proposal that could help stop years of harmful payment cuts to independent doctors’ offices.

For nearly two decades, office-based physicians—who often serve rural communities and patients in need of lower-cost care—have faced steep cuts, while hospitals and large surgery centers received steady increases. Many office-based practices have been forced to close, leaving patients with fewer options and longer travel times. In the letter, OBFA supports the CMS proposal to update the Indirect Practice Expense (IPE) policy as a means of providing reimbursement stability that freestanding providers have desperately needed for years. OBFA also emphasized that its members believe that CMS must work with Congress to remove all supplies and equipment from the PFS.

“This proposal is a lifeline,” said Dr. Bob Tahara, Health Policy Chair of OBFA. “It means more stability for independent practices, better access for patients—especially in underserved and rural areas—and a solid first step towards a fairer system overall.”

OBFA is urging Medicare to finalize the change so that patients can continue to count on safe, affordable, and accessible care in their own communities.

The comment letter highlights a significant turning point for office-based providers. The letter states, in part: "Fortunately, due in part to the proposed update to the PE methodology, the 2026 PFS Proposed Rule marks the first meaningful improvement for office-based (i.e. non-facility) providers in years."

OBFA is a coalition of practitioners and affiliated entities involved in providing office-based interventional care. The association represents providers across multiple specialties, including cardiology, interventional radiology, pain medicine, physical therapy, proton therapy, radiation oncology, urology, and vascular surgery. OBFA's vision is for a Physician Fee Schedule that prioritizes payment stability and predictability for office-based interventionalists, particularly independent physicians, small businesses, and rural providers.

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