CMS CY 2027 Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Preliminary Rates Public Comment Opportunity

CMS is accepting public comments through October 21, 2026 on preliminary CY 2027 Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule rates and supporting data. This is a Medicare payment-policy comment opportunity, not a grant, cooperative agreement, procurement, or funding award.

Broad Eligibility

Public comment is open to interested stakeholders affected by Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule payment policy, including independent laboratories, hospital laboratories, physician-office laboratories, and other reporting entities.

Atlas Analysis

Open CMS Medicare Payment-Rate Comment Opportunity

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published preliminary Calendar Year (CY) 2027 payment rates for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests under the Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) on September 21, 2026 and opened a public comment period. This is not a grant, cooperative agreement, procurement, contract award, or funding award.

Comment Period and Submission

CMS states that the public has until October 21, 2026 to review and submit comments on the preliminary CY 2027 CLFS rates and supporting data files. CMS does not state a clock time or time zone in the published fact sheet. Written comments should be submitted electronically to CLFS_Annual_Public_Meeting@cms.hhs.gov.

What CMS Published

The preliminary rates are based on private-payor information reported during the 2026 reporting period. CMS reports that 6,411 laboratory NPIs submitted data and 6,304 applicable laboratories remained after quality-control exclusions. Across approximately 1,500 codes with a private-payor weighted median, the average potential change from CY 2026 rates is about 16% lower. Federal law limits the annual reduction for an individual test to no more than 15% per year for CY 2027 through CY 2029.

Who May Be Affected

The comment opportunity is relevant to laboratories and organizations affected by Medicare CLFS payment policy, including independent laboratories, hospital laboratories, physician-office laboratories, and other reporting entities. CMS notes substantial 2026 reporting participation from hospital labs and from other laboratory types that include FQHC and urgent-care settings.

Atlas Relevance

This is a direct CMS payment-policy notice and public comment opportunity. It does not create an applicant funding path or a direct Dr. Miltie vendor or contracting opportunity. Atlas should monitor the final CY 2027 CLFS rates expected in November 2026 and any separately published October determinations for tests without reported private-payor data.

Official Controlling Sources

CMS preliminary CY 2027 CLFS fact sheet
CMS September 21, 2026 press release
CMS Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule page
CMS September 24, 2026 MLN Connects deadline notice