CMS to cover cardiac ablations performed in ASCs—cardiology group calls it a ‘tremendous victory’
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized new payment policies that will radically change the way cardiac ablation procedures are reimbursed going forward.
The 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System final rule increases payment rates under the OPPS by 2.6%. CMS reached this decision by starting with the final inpatient hospital market basket percentage increase of 3.3% and then reducing 0.7% as a “final productivity adjustment.”
For cardiologists, perhaps the biggest news to come out of this final rule is the fact that cardiac catheter ablation has been added to the ASC covered procedures list (CPL). This means that electrophysiologists can now perform ablation procedures in ASCs, where the circumstances may be more convenient and cost-effective for the patient than a hospital.
Though many other cardiovascular procedures were already on the ASC CPL, CMS had previously resisted adding cardiac ablation to the list due to concerns that the procedures may be too complex, or increase the likelihood of certain risks. Many in the electrophysiology (EP) community have been working to alleviate those concerns for years, and groups such as the American College of Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and Heart Rhythm Advocates (HRA), the new advocacy arm of HRS, have publicly called for the policy to be changed.
‘A moment our community has worked toward for years’
“This CMS decision is a tremendous victory for our field and the patients we serve,” HRA Board Co-Chair Kenneth Ellenbogen, MD, said in a statement. “Adding EP ablations to the ASC-CPL is the clearest recognition yet of just how far electrophysiology has come—in safety, in quality and innovation. This is a moment our community has worked toward for years, and it reflects the dedication of countless clinicians, advocates and partners who believed this progress was possible. HRA is proud to have played a central role in this achievement, and we look forward to helping EP teams across the country seize the opportunities this milestone creates.”
“CMS’s final rule is more than a policy update; it’s a real turning point for the EP community,” added HRA Co-Chair Andrea Natale, MD. “Bringing ablations into the ASC environment validates years of clinical progress and the dedication of teams who have pushed the boundaries of what safe, high-quality outpatient care can look like. This decision opens the door to new models of care, greater flexibility for clinicians, and faster access for patients who have been waiting for advanced treatment options.”
In total, 276 procedures have been added to the ASC CPL. According to CMS, this decision is part of a long-term goal to give patients more outpatient surgical options, while maintaining safe patient outcomes.
“We continue to advance Medicare payment reform by advancing policies that help prevent services from unnecessarily being performed in hospitals when they can be safely provided in less intensive settings, streamlining hospital billing systems, and ensuring patients receive transparent, accurate pricing information,” Chris Klomp, CMS deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicare, said in a statement. “These comprehensive changes deliver greater predictability, accountability, and affordability in hospital care.”
The full final rule is available here. These policy updates go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.