The AHA expressed disappointment over the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servicesâ (CMS) decision to reduce hospital outpatient payment rates by 0.4% next year in its final rule for the outpatient prospective payment and ambulatory surgical center payment systems (PPS). However, in the final rule issued on Oct. 30, the agency also said it would carry out AHA-supported changes proposed in July for its âtwo-midnightâ policy.