At first glance, 2026 may seem like a quiet year for Medicare global surgery changes. There are no dramatic overhauls or headline-grabbing reforms. But if you look a little closer, it becomes clear—this is not a year to relax.
The global surgical package, which bundles pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative care into a single payment, remains unchanged on the surface. However, behind the scenes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is taking a deeper look at how these services are being delivered—and documented.
What’s Really Happening in 2026?
Medicare is increasingly focused on one key question:
Are providers delivering the services they are being paid for under the global package?
To answer this, CMS continues to emphasize tracking of post-operative visits using CPT 99024. The challenge? Many practices either don’t consistently report these visits or lack proper documentation.
This matters more than it seems.
Because if the data shows that fewer post-op services are being performed than expected, Medicare could eventually adjust surgical payments downward. In simple terms—what you don’t document today could reduce what you’re paid tomorrow.
Adding to this, a subtle but important change in 2026 is the efficiency adjustment to work RVUs, leading to a slight reduction in reimbursement across many services. While it may seem small, over time, this directly impacts practice revenue.
Where Practices Are Losing Revenue
From what we see across providers, the issue is rarely the system—it’s the execution.
Common gaps include:
- Missing or inconsistent reporting of post-op visits
- Incorrect use of modifiers like -54, -55, and -56 in shared care scenarios
- Billing for services already included in the global package
- Incomplete or weak documentation
Individually, these may seem minor. But together, they lead to:
- Avoidable denials
- Delayed payments
- Revenue leakage
- Increased audit risk
How Total RCM Solutions Helps Providers Stay Ahead
At Total RCM Solutions, we work closely with providers to ensure that revenue is not just earned—but protected.
Our approach focuses on:
- Identifying denial trends linked to global surgery billing
- Ensuring accurate use of modifiers in split-care scenarios
- Strengthening documentation workflows
- Tracking post-operative visits effectively
- Preventing unintentional unbundling errors
We don’t change your systems—we optimize how your revenue cycle works within them.