The Orthopedic Practice Playbook for 2026: Site-of-Service, Payer Contracts, and the Value-Based Pivot

Section analysis by Slava Kurdov, CPC, Billing Department, WCH 

EDITOR’S NOTE Three simultaneous policy shifts are reshaping orthopedic reimbursement in 2026: the CY 2026 MPFS Final Rule’s practice expense restructuring, the phased elimination of the Inpatient-Only (IPO) List under the OPPS/ASC Final Rule, and the mandatory launch of the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM). This article unpacks the evidence behind each, and connects them to the three strategic responses that define whether an orthopedic practice grows or contracts this year.