The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that, beginning January 1, 2026, coverage will be provided for physical activity assessments in the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule. Clinicians can now bill for a five- to 15-minute standardized assessment of physical activity and nutrition, reimbursed at $20.00–$25.00 every six months. This service can be included in evaluation and management, behavioral health and annual wellness visits.
The decision by CMS is the result of years of strategic advocacy efforts led by ACSM and the Physical Activity Alliance (PAA) and marks a critical turning point in how movement is valued in clinical care.
“This milestone reflects the strength and influence of ACSM’s policy leadership,” said ACSM President Carrie Jaworski, MD, FACSM. The impact of this decision will be historical in terms of affirming physical activity as a vital sign and assessment reimbursements as well as will pave the way for continued advocacy work related to the reimbursement of exercise referrals.”
The assessment is aligned with the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and supported by the HL7 FHIR Physical Activity Implementation Guide, which enables integration into electronic health records (EHRs) and clinical workflows. The policy embeds movement into the core of preventive health care, validates physical activity as a clinical vital sign and recognizes physical activity and nutrition as central to whole-person care.
This achievement underscores the power of ACSM membership and engagement. ACSM clinicians and certified professionals are now part of a reimbursable care pathway, which provides compelling motivation for non-member clinicians, researchers, educators and students to join ACSM and its proven advocacy efforts.
ACSM and PAA will work with health systems, EHR vendors and clinical champions to ensure this assessment is implemented widely and effectively. ACSM is committed to building a future where exercise referrals are reimbursed and exercise professionals are integrated into health care teams.
For more information, contact Monte Ward at mward@acsm.org
