July 31, 2026

CMS finalized a new 30-day, all-cause readmission measure following hospitalization for sepsis. Hospitals will begin receiving confidential early-look reports in FY 2028 and FY 2029, and the measure will affect Hospital Readmission Reduction Program payment calculations beginning in FY 2030. This is not a new NHSN HAI measure and does not change SEP-1.

Sepsis outcomes will eventually have a direct impact on hospital reimbursement, giving infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship teams another reason to look beyond the initial sepsis episode.

Hospitals may want to examine whether infections are truly controlled before discharge, whether antimicrobial therapy is appropriate, whether pending cultures are followed after discharge, and whether patients receive adequate follow-up and education.

The measure applies to IPPS acute-care hospitals participating in HRRP and does not apply to Critical Access Hospitals.