Comment on CMS-2026-1256-0002

Summary: Memorial Hospital at Gulfport supports the inclusion of a Low Quartile Reclassification Mechanism in the FY 2027 IPPS/LTCH Proposed Rule. The hospital argues that the mechanism should account for actual labor-market realities, such as longer commuting distances, cross-area wage competition, and regional workforce shortages, by using a wage index that reflects the surrounding labor pool rather than historical internal wages.