Medicare Program; Medicare Appeals; Adjustment to the Amount in Controversy Threshold Amounts for Calendar Year 2026

<NOTICE> DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES <SUBAGY>Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services</SUBAGY> <DEPDOC>[CMS-4209-N]</DEPDOC> <SUBJECT>Medicare Program; Medicare Appeals; Adjustment to the Amount in Controversy Threshold Amounts for Calendar Year 2026</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Notice. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> This notice announces the annual adjustment in the amount in controversy (AIC) threshold amounts for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings and judicial review under the Medicare appeals process. The adjustment to the AIC threshold amounts will be effective for requests for ALJ hearings and judicial review filed on or after January 1, 2026. The calendar year 2026 AIC threshold amounts are $200 for ALJ hearings and $1,960 for judicial review. </SUM> <DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> This annual adjustment takes effect on January 1, 2026. </DATES> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Natasha Franklin, (410) 786-5692. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Background</HD> Section 1869(b)(1)(E) of the Social Security Act (the Act) established the amount in controversy (AIC) threshold amounts for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings and judicial review at $100 and $1,000, respectively, for Medicare Part A and Part B appeals. Additionally, section 1869(b)(1)(E) of the Act provides that beginning in January 2005, the AIC threshold amounts are to be adjusted annually by the percentage increase in the medical care component of the consumer price index (CPI) for all urban consumers (U.S. city average) for July 2003 to the July preceding the year involved and rounded to the nearest multiple of $10. Sections 1852(g)(5) and 1876(c)(5)(B) of the Act apply the AIC adjustment requirement to Medicare Part C/Medicare Advantage (MA) appeals and certain health maintenance organization and competitive medical plan appeals. Health care prepayment plans are also subject to MA appeals rules, including the AIC adjustment requirement, pursuant to 42 CFR 417.840. Section 1860D-4(h)(1) of the Act, provides that a Medicare Part D plan sponsor shall meet the requirements of paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 1852(g) of the Act with respect to benefits, including appeals and the application of the AIC adjustment requirement to Medicare Part D appeals. <HD SOURCE="HD2">A. Medicare Part A and Part B Appeals</HD> The statutory formula for the annual adjustment to the AIC threshold amounts for ALJ hearings and judicial review of Medicare Part A and Part B appeals, set forth at section 1869(b)(1)(E) of the Act, is included in the applicable implementing regulations, 42 CFR 405.1006(b) and (c). The regulations at § 405.1006(b)(2) require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to publish changes to the AIC threshold amounts in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> . To be entitled to a hearing before an ALJ, a party to a proceeding must meet the AIC requirements at § 405.1006(b). Similarly, a party must meet the AIC requirements at § 405.1006(c) at the time judicial review is requested for the court to have jurisdiction over the appeal (§ 405.1136(a)). <HD SOURCE="HD2">B. Medicare Part C/MA Appeals</HD> Section 1852(g)(5) of the Act applies the AIC adjustment requirement to Medicare Part C appeals. The implementing regulations for Medicare Part C appeals are found at 42 CFR part 422, subpart M. Specifically, §§ 422.600 and 422.612 discuss the AIC threshold amounts for ALJ hearings and judicial review. Section 422.600 grants any party to the reconsideration (except the MA organization) who is dissatisfied with the reconsideration determination a right to an ALJ hearing as long as the amount remaining in controversy after reconsideration meets the threshold requirement established annually by the Secretary. Section 422.612 states, in part, that any party, including the MA organization, may request judicial review if the AIC meets the threshold requirement established annually by the Secretary. <HD SOURCE="HD2">C. Health Maintenance Organizations, Competitive Medical Plans, and Health Care Prepayment Plans</HD> Section 1876(c)(5)(B) of the Act states that the annual adjustment to the AIC dollar amounts set forth in section 1869(b)(1)(E)(iii) of the Act applies to certain beneficiary appeals within the context of health maintenance organizations and competitive medical plans. The applicable implementing regulations for Medicare Part C appeals are set forth in 42 CFR part 422, subpart M and apply to these appeals in accordance with 42 CFR 417.600(b). The Medicare Part C appeals rules also apply to health care prepayment plan appeals in accordance with 42 CFR 417.840. <HD SOURCE="HD2">D. Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Plan) Appeals</HD> The annually adjusted AIC threshold amounts for ALJ hearings and judicial review that apply to Medicare Parts A, B, and C appeals also apply to Medicare Part D appeals. Section 1860D-4(h)(1) of the Act regarding Part D appeals requires a prescription drug plan sponsor to meet the requirements set forth in sections 1852(g)(4) and (g)(5) of the Act, in a similar manner as MA organizations. The implementing regulations for Medicare Part D appeals can be found at 42 CFR part 423, subparts M and U. More specifically, § 423.2006 addresses the AIC threshold amounts for ALJ hearings and judicial review. Sections 423.2002 and 423.2006 grant a Part D enrollee who is dissatisfied with the independent review entity (IRE) reconsideration determination a right to an ALJ hearing if the amount remaining in controversy after the IRE reconsideration meets the threshold amount established annually by the Secretary, and other requirements set forth in § 423.2002. Sections 423.2006 and 423.2136 allow a Part D enrollee to request judicial review of an ALJ or Medicare Appeals Council decision if the AIC meets the threshold amount established annually by the Secretary, and other requirements are met as set forth in these provisions. <HD SOURCE="HD1">II. Provisions of the Notice—Annual AIC Adjustments</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD2">A. AIC Adjustment Formula and AIC Adjustments</HD> Section 1869(b)(1)(E)(iii) of the Act requires that the AIC threshold amounts be adjusted annually, beginning in January 2005, by the percentage increase in the medical care component of the CPI for all urban consumers (U.S. city average) for July 2003 to July of the year preceding the year involved and rounded to the nearest multiple of $10. <HD SOURCE="HD2">B. Calendar Year 2026</HD> The AIC threshold amount for ALJ hearings will rise from $190 for CY 2025 to $200 for CY 2026, and the AIC threshold amount for judicial review will increase from $1,900 for CY 2025 to $1,960 for CY 2026. These amounts are based on the 96.188 percent change in the medical care component of the CPI, which was at 297.600 in July 2003 and rose to 583.856 in July 2025. The AIC threshold amount for ALJ hearings changes to $196.19 based on the 96.188 percent increase over the initial threshold amount of $100 established in 2003. In accordance with section 1869(b)(1)(E)(iii) of the Act, the adjusted threshold amounts are rounded to the nearest multiple of $10. Therefore, the CY 2026 AIC threshold amount for ALJ hearings is $200.00. The AIC threshold amount for judicial review changes to $1,961.88 based on the 96.188 percent increase over the initial threshold amount of $1,000. This amount was rounded to the nearest multiple of $10, resulting in the CY 2026 AIC threshold amount of $1,960.00 for judicial review. <HD SOURCE="HD2">C. Summary Table of Adjustments in the AIC Threshold Amounts</HD> In the following table we list the CYs 2022 through 2026 threshold amounts. <GPOTABLE COLS="6" OPTS="L2,tp0,i1" CDEF="s50,12,12,12,12,12"> <TTITLE> </TTITLE> <CHED H="1"> </CHED> <CHED H="1">CY 2022</CHED> <CHED H="1">CY 2023</CHED> <CHED H="1">CY 2024</CHED> <CHED H="1">CY 2025</CHED> <CHED H="1">CY 2026</CHED> <ROW> <ENT I="01">ALJ Hearing</ENT> <ENT>$180</ENT> <ENT>$180</ENT> <ENT>$180</ENT> <ENT>$190</ENT> <ENT>$200</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Judicial Review</ENT> <ENT>1,760</ENT> <ENT>1,850</ENT> <ENT>1,840</ENT> <ENT>1,900</ENT> <ENT>1,960</ENT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">III. Collection of Information Requirements</HD> This document announces the annual adjustment in the AIC threshold amounts and does not impose any “collection of information” requirements as defined under 5 CFR 1320.3(c). Consequently, the notice is not subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 <E T="03">et seq.</E> ). The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. Mehmet Oz having reviewed and approved this document, authorizes Trenesha Fultz-Mimms, who is the Federal Register Liaison, to electronically sign this document for purposes of publication in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> . <SIG> <NAME>Trenesha Fultz-Mimms,</NAME> Federal Register Liaison, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. </SIG> </SUPLINF> <FRDOC>[FR Doc. 2025-21879 Filed 12-3-25; 8:45 am]</FRDOC> </NOTICE>