Comment on CMS-2026-1256-0002

Summary: The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) supports the majority of the proposed changes to the Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System, including new mortality measures, the Diabetes EDAC measure, and the transition to digital quality measures. They advocate for specific refinements such as phased implementation for sepsis readmission measures, inclusion of socioeconomic factors in risk adjustment, and clear technical alignment with ONC standards for electronic prior authorization.