www.cms.gov: Accessibility — week 2026-W24

Automated Accessibility Conformance Report (OpenACR): Download ACR. Machine-readable; compatible with GSA OpenACR tooling. Automated tools find ~⅓ of real barriers — supplement with manual AT testing.

Training priorities

Top WCAG success criteria by pages affected this week. Use these to focus team training on the highest-impact issues.

SC	Criterion	Pages	Rules
1.4.8	WCAG 1.4.8	1198	2
2.5.5	WCAG 2.5.5	1178	1
1.4.1	Use of Color	33	2
1.3.1	Info and Relationships (semantic structure)	29	6
2.5.3	WCAG 2.5.3	20	1

Bug reports

5 issue type(s) are shown by default out of 35 total. Prioritized by severity, key pages, WCAG level, and prevalence; use the toggle to show everything.

Overall severity mix: 1 critical, 4 serious, 27 moderate, 3 minor. By WCAG category: 13 WCAG 2.0 A, 3 WCAG 2.0 AA, 1 WCAG 2.1 A, 1 WCAG 2.2 AA, 4 WCAG 2.x AAA, 8 Best Practice, 5 Undetermined. Ordered by severity, key-page impact, WCAG level, and prevalence. Following accessibility bug-reporting best practices. Download: Markdown · JSON (full archive) · JSON (AI diagnostic) · CSV (all findings) · Priority pages CSV · Priority pages JSON.

Automated testing does not establish full WCAG conformance. Findings in the verification lane require manual testing before they are treated as confirmed failures.

Default view shows 5 prioritized issue type(s); 30 more are available if you switch to "Show everything".

4 finding(s) marked "possible duplicate" — Alfa and axe-core both flagged the same WCAG SC on overlapping pages. If they target the same element, the axe-core report is authoritative. Filter the CSV by possible_duplicate_of to see these. Two engines flagging the same barrier reduces the chance of a false positive.

Findings needing review

These findings need manual verification before they can be treated as confirmed failures. Obligation remains visible for each finding.

Critical axe image-alt WCAG 2.0 A Images must have alternative text (WCAG 1.1.1) 11/2629 pages · 11 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-544f1c21
Pattern ID: VS-9074b4dd
Combined ID: VS-544f1c21 (pattern VS-9074b4dd) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: axe-core — Images must have alternative text [image-alt]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: img[src$="cms-site-logo.png"]
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<img src="cms-site-logo.png">

Description

Images must have alternative text. Detected by axe-core rule image-alt on 11 of 2629 scanned pages (11 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: img[src$="cms-site-logo.png"]
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule image-alt against WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Give every <img> a meaningful alt attribute. Use alt="" only for decorative images so screen readers skip them.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/image-alt?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Serious axe html-has-lang WCAG 2.0 A <html> element must have a lang attribute (WCAG 3.1.1) 11/2629 pages · 11 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-25d8f547
Pattern ID: VS-c126b6a6
Combined ID: VS-25d8f547 (pattern VS-c126b6a6) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 3.1.1 Language of Page (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: axe-core — <html> element must have a lang attribute [html-has-lang]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: html
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<html>

Description

<html> element must have a lang attribute. Detected by axe-core rule html-has-lang on 11 of 2629 scanned pages (11 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: html
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule html-has-lang against WCAG 3.1.1 Language of Page.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Add a lang attribute to <html> (e.g. lang="en").

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/html-has-lang?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Serious axe link-name WCAG 2.0 A Links must have discernible text (WCAG 2.4.4) 8/2629 pages · 15 instances

Bug ID: VS-2f53e181
Pattern ID: VS-e9fe47ac
Combined ID: VS-2f53e181 (pattern VS-e9fe47ac) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: axe-core — Links must have discernible text [link-name]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/long-term-care-hospital
XPath / selector: p:nth-child(2) > a[data-entity-substitution="canonical"][data-entity-type="node"][data-once="linkMatch"]:nth-child(1)
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<a href="/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/fy-2026-ipps-proposed-rule-home-page" data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e2075c13

Description

Links must have discernible text. Detected by axe-core rule link-name on 8 of 2629 scanned pages (15 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/long-term-care-hospital.
Locate the element: p:nth-child(2) > a[data-entity-substitution="canonical"][data-entity-type="node"][data-once="linkMatch"]:nth-child(1)
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule link-name against WCAG 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context).

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Give the link discernible text. Avoid empty links and icon-only links without an aria-label.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/link-name?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Serious axe list WCAG 2.0 A <ul> and <ol> must only directly contain <li>, <script> or <template> elements (WCAG 1.3.1) 7/2629 pages · 13 instances

Bug ID: VS-6e9a6724
Pattern ID: VS-a0bdbdf6
Combined ID: VS-6e9a6724 (pattern VS-a0bdbdf6) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: axe-core — <ul> and <ol> must only directly contain <li>, <script> or <template> elements [list]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/search?f%5B0%5D=topic%3A46&items_per_page=10&search_api_language=en&sort_by=field_date&sort_order=DESC
XPath / selector: .pager__items
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<ul class="pager__items js-pager__items cms-evo-unstyled-list ds-u-display--flex ds-u-justify-content--center">

Description

<ul> and <ol> must only directly contain <li>, <script> or <template> elements. Detected by axe-core rule list on 9 of 2629 scanned pages (17 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/search?f%5B0%5D=topic%3A46&items_per_page=10&search_api_language=en&sort_by=field_date&sort_order=DESC.
Locate the element: .pager__items
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule list against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Use <ul>/<ol> with only <li> children for lists; don't fake lists with <div>s.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/list?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Serious axe valid-lang WCAG 2.0 AA lang attribute must have a valid value (WCAG 3.1.2) 1/2629 pages · 1 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-8f470a84
Pattern ID: VS-dd1c019f
Combined ID: VS-8f470a84 (pattern VS-dd1c019f) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 AA
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 3.1.2 Language of Parts (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: axe-core — lang attribute must have a valid value [valid-lang]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/data-research/monitoring-programs/improper-payment-measurement-programs/exchange-improper-payment-measurement-eipm/improper-payment-findings
XPath / selector: a[href$="#_ftnref1"] > span[lang="X-NONE"]
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<span lang="X-NONE">[1]</span>

Description

lang attribute must have a valid value. Detected by axe-core rule valid-lang on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/data-research/monitoring-programs/improper-payment-measurement-programs/exchange-improper-payment-measurement-eipm/improper-payment-findings.
Locate the element: a[href$="#_ftnref1"] > span[lang="X-NONE"]
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule valid-lang against WCAG 3.1.2 Language of Parts.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

/data-research/monitoring-programs/improper-payment-measurement-programs/exchange-improper-payment-measurement-eipm/improper-payment-findings

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/valid-lang?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r111 WCAG 2.x AAA Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced) (WCAG 2.5.5) 1178/2629 pages · 61216 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-fa3b5900
Pattern ID: VS-cb53cc4d
Combined ID: VS-fa3b5900 (pattern VS-cb53cc4d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation: aspirational
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 2.5.5 Target Size (Enhanced) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.1)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced) [sia-r111]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19
XPath / selector: <a href="/about-cms" class="menu-item-link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/132926" data-once="navigationLinkMatch">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced). Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r111 on 1178 of 2629 scanned pages (61216 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19.
Locate the element: <a href="/about-cms" class="menu-item-link" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/132926" data-once="navigationLinkMatch">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r111 against WCAG 2.5.5 Target Size (Enhanced).

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 1178 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r111

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r73 WCAG 2.x AAA Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 (WCAG 1.4.8) 1178/2629 pages · 18945 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-b8722a6e
Pattern ID: VS-2208081b
Combined ID: VS-b8722a6e (pattern VS-2208081b) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation: aspirational
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.8 Visual Presentation (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 [sia-r73]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19
XPath / selector: <p class="ds-c-usa-banner__header-text">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r73 on 1178 of 2629 scanned pages (18945 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19.
Locate the element: <p class="ds-c-usa-banner__header-text">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r73 against WCAG 1.4.8 Visual Presentation.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 1178 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r73

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r61 Undetermined Form field label is visible (WCAG criterion undetermined) 1175/2629 pages · 1175 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-a8c3336e
Pattern ID: VS-7118fead
Combined ID: VS-a8c3336e (pattern VS-7118fead) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Form field label is visible [sia-r61]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19
XPath / selector: {"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Form field label is visible. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r61 on 1175 of 2629 scanned pages (1175 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19.
Locate the element: {"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r61.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 1175 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r61

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r57 Undetermined Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard (WCAG criterion undetermined) 731/2629 pages · 731 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-5cec57e6
Pattern ID: VS-c18be945
Combined ID: VS-5cec57e6 (pattern VS-c18be945) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard [sia-r57]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19
XPath / selector: text: "Feedback"
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r57 on 731 of 2629 scanned pages (731 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19.
Locate the element: text: "Feedback"
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r57.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 731 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r57

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r53 Undetermined Headings are structured hierarchically (WCAG criterion undetermined) 128/2629 pages · 162 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-9b5b0cf7
Pattern ID: VS-f054f4a4
Combined ID: VS-9b5b0cf7 (pattern VS-f054f4a4) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Headings are structured hierarchically [sia-r53]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index
XPath / selector: <h3>
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Headings are structured hierarchically. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r53 on 128 of 2629 scanned pages (162 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index.
Locate the element: <h3>
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r53.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 128 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Use headings in a logical, non-skipping order.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r53

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r78 Undetermined Table header has scope (WCAG criterion undetermined) 34/2629 pages · 41 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-84bb4a0b
Pattern ID: VS-2cd767ca
Combined ID: VS-84bb4a0b (pattern VS-2cd767ca) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Table header has scope [sia-r78]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: <h1>
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Table header has scope. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r78 on 34 of 2629 scanned pages (41 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: <h1>
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r78.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 34 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r78

Triage status Notes

Moderate axe page-has-heading-one Best Practice Page should contain a level-one heading (WCAG criterion undetermined) 25/2629 pages · 25 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-d1c93dbe
Pattern ID: VS-fa44f293
Combined ID: VS-d1c93dbe (pattern VS-fa44f293) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Page should contain a level-one heading [page-has-heading-one]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/ambulatory-surgical-center-asc/asc-payment-rates-addenda
XPath / selector: html
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<html lang="en" dir="ltr" class=" js" style="--vw: 12.8px; --vh: 8px;">

Description

Page should contain a level-one heading. Detected by axe-core rule page-has-heading-one on 25 of 2629 scanned pages (25 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/ambulatory-surgical-center-asc/asc-payment-rates-addenda.
Locate the element: html
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule page-has-heading-one.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/page-has-heading-one?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate axe heading-order Best Practice Heading levels should only increase by one (WCAG criterion undetermined) 24/2629 pages · 249 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-1d5dece4
Pattern ID: VS-d25f622d
Combined ID: VS-1d5dece4 (pattern VS-d25f622d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Heading levels should only increase by one [heading-order]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index
XPath / selector: .rxbodyfield > h3
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<h3><strong>FY 2027 Geographic Reclassification Deadlines</strong></h3>

Description

Heading levels should only increase by one. Detected by axe-core rule heading-order on 223 of 2629 scanned pages (259 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index.
Locate the element: .rxbodyfield > h3
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule heading-order.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Use heading levels in order (h1 → h2 → h3) without skipping; structure, not size.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/heading-order?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Minor axe empty-heading Best Practice Headings should not be empty (WCAG criterion undetermined) 18/2629 pages · 18 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-72302780
Pattern ID: VS-0066c67d
Combined ID: VS-72302780 (pattern VS-0066c67d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Headings should not be empty [empty-heading]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: h1:nth-child(2)
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<h1></h1>

Description

Headings should not be empty. Detected by axe-core rule empty-heading on 18 of 2629 scanned pages (18 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: h1:nth-child(2)
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule empty-heading.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Remove empty headings or give them text. Don't use heading tags for spacing.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/empty-heading?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate deprecated-html presentational-attr Undetermined Presentational attribute (use CSS) (WCAG criterion undetermined) 11/2629 pages · 678 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-ed09c28b
Pattern ID: VS-04a9d28c
Combined ID: VS-ed09c28b (pattern VS-04a9d28c) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: deprecated-html — Presentational attribute (use CSS) [presentational-attr]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: img
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<img src="bakpg.png" alt="Previous Page [Alt-p]" height="14" width="31" vspace="0" hspace="0" align="bottom" border="0">

Description

Presentational attribute (use CSS). Detected by deprecated-html rule presentational-attr on 19 of 2629 scanned pages (1171 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: img
Confirm the deprecated-html finding for rule presentational-attr.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: deprecated-html, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Triage status Notes

Moderate axe region Best Practice All page content should be contained by landmarks (WCAG criterion undetermined) 11/2629 pages · 288 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-754161a7
Pattern ID: VS-f18df681
Combined ID: VS-754161a7 (pattern VS-f18df681) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — All page content should be contained by landmarks [region]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: .arrows > tbody > tr:nth-child(1)
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<tr>
		<td><img src="cms-site-logo.png"></td>
		<td style="text-align:center;"><h1>ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG v38.0 R1 Definitions Manual</h1><h1></h1></td>
		<td></td>
		<td></td>
		<td></td>
	</tr>

Description

All page content should be contained by landmarks. Detected by axe-core rule region on 11 of 2629 scanned pages (288 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: .arrows > tbody > tr:nth-child(1)
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule region.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Wrap all page content in landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) so users can navigate by region.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/region?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate axe landmark-one-main Best Practice Document should have one main landmark (WCAG criterion undetermined) 11/2629 pages · 11 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-84a32cf6
Pattern ID: VS-d5d82446
Combined ID: VS-84a32cf6 (pattern VS-d5d82446) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Document should have one main landmark [landmark-one-main]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: html
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<html>

Description

Document should have one main landmark. Detected by axe-core rule landmark-one-main on 11 of 2629 scanned pages (11 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: html
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule landmark-one-main.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Each page should have exactly one <main> landmark.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/landmark-one-main?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r11 WCAG 2.0 A Link has accessible name (WCAG 2.4.4) 7/2629 pages · 11 instances · possible duplicate

Bug ID: VS-79af47ed
Pattern ID: VS-28ebd979
Combined ID: VS-79af47ed (pattern VS-28ebd979) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Link has accessible name [sia-r11]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/long-term-care-hospital
XPath / selector: <a href="/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/fy-2026-ipps-proposed-rule-home-page" data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e2075c13
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)
Possible duplicate: Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-2f53e181 (pattern VS-e9fe47ac). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

Link has accessible name. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r11 on 7 of 2629 scanned pages (11 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/long-term-care-hospital.
Locate the element: <a href="/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/fy-2026-ipps-proposed-rule-home-page" data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e2075c13
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r11 against WCAG 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context).

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Give the link an accessible name via text content or aria-label.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r11

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r113 WCAG 2.2 AA Target size is at least 24×24 CSS pixels or has spacing (Minimum) (WCAG 2.5.8) 6/2629 pages · 32 instances

Bug ID: VS-e1f7ea68
Pattern ID: VS-179ad9b3
Combined ID: VS-e1f7ea68 (pattern VS-179ad9b3) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.2 AA
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) (Level AA, WCAG 2.2)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Target size is at least 24×24 CSS pixels or has spacing (Minimum) [sia-r113]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: <a href="http://www.hhs.gov">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Target size is at least 24×24 CSS pixels or has spacing (Minimum). Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r113 on 6 of 2629 scanned pages (32 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: <a href="http://www.hhs.gov">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r113 against WCAG 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum).

Impact

Affects Limited manipulation/strength (13.0%), Limited reach (2.0%), Limited vision (2.4%).

Limited manipulation/strength — 13.0% of population
Limited reach — 2.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r113

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r64 WCAG 2.0 A Element has required owned roles (WCAG 1.3.1) 6/2629 pages · 6 instances

Bug ID: VS-f9bad6ea
Pattern ID: VS-3c632d31
Combined ID: VS-f9bad6ea (pattern VS-3c632d31) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Element has required owned roles [sia-r64]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: <h1>
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Element has required owned roles. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r64 on 6 of 2629 scanned pages (6 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: <h1>
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r64 against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r64

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r4 WCAG 2.0 A Document has a valid lang attribute (WCAG 3.1.1) 3/2629 pages · 3 instances

Bug ID: VS-edb179fb
Pattern ID: VS-7a0e5645
Combined ID: VS-edb179fb (pattern VS-7a0e5645) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 3.1.1 Language of Page (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Document has a valid lang attribute [sia-r4]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: <html>
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Document has a valid lang attribute. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r4 on 3 of 2629 scanned pages (3 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: <html>
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r4 against WCAG 3.1.1 Language of Page.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Add a valid lang attribute to <html>.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r4

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r2 WCAG 2.0 A Image has accessible name (WCAG 1.1.1) 3/2629 pages · 3 instances

Bug ID: VS-5be66cad
Pattern ID: VS-a24eaa8c
Combined ID: VS-5be66cad (pattern VS-a24eaa8c) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Image has accessible name [sia-r2]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html
XPath / selector: <img src="cms-site-logo.png">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Image has accessible name. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r2 on 3 of 2629 scanned pages (3 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html.
Locate the element: <img src="cms-site-logo.png">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r2 against WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Give every <img> an accessible name (alt text), or alt="" if purely decorative.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r2

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r74 WCAG 2.x AAA Link is distinguishable without relying on color (WCAG 1.4.8) 2/2629 pages · 55 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-3dc6d2b2
Pattern ID: VS-fbf54eba
Combined ID: VS-3dc6d2b2 (pattern VS-fbf54eba) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation: aspirational
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.8 Visual Presentation (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Link is distinguishable without relying on color [sia-r74]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx?bc=18&chapter=190&labOnly=labonlyncd&ncdid=103&ncdver=1&sortBy=chapter
XPath / selector: <p class="mb-2">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Link is distinguishable without relying on color. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r74 on 20 of 2629 scanned pages (548 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx?bc=18&chapter=190&labOnly=labonlyncd&ncdid=103&ncdver=1&sortBy=chapter.
Locate the element: <p class="mb-2">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r74 against WCAG 1.4.8 Visual Presentation.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r74

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r14 WCAG 2.1 A Accessible name of link or button matches visible label (WCAG 2.5.3) 2/2629 pages · 4 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-0e9663dd
Pattern ID: VS-f7dba940
Combined ID: VS-0e9663dd (pattern VS-f7dba940) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.1 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A, WCAG 2.1)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Accessible name of link or button matches visible label [sia-r14]
Example URL: http://cms.gov/priorities/innovation/models
XPath / selector: <button type="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="click to display filter options" class="ds-c-button searchBar__mobileFilterToggle__button">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Accessible name of link or button matches visible label. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r14 on 20 of 2629 scanned pages (36 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open http://cms.gov/priorities/innovation/models.
Locate the element: <button type="button" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="click to display filter options" class="ds-c-button searchBar__mobileFilterToggle__button">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r14 against WCAG 2.5.3 Label in Name.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Without speech (0.5%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Without speech — 0.5% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r14

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r69 WCAG 2.0 AA Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced) (WCAG 1.4.3) 1/2629 pages · 28 instances · possible duplicate Likely content

Bug ID: VS-65e58df6
Pattern ID: VS-f7e99f4b
Combined ID: VS-65e58df6 (pattern VS-f7e99f4b) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 AA
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced) [sia-r69]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/events
XPath / selector: text: "FEB"
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)
Possible duplicate: Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-5ce6d2b9 (pattern VS-be8d563e). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced). Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r69 on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (28 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/events.
Locate the element: text: "FEB"
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r69 against WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum).

Impact

Affects Limited vision (2.4%), Without color perception (4.5%).

Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Without color perception — 4.5% of population

Affected pages

/medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/events

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Increase text contrast to meet WCAG AA (4.5:1, or 3:1 for large text).

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r69

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r42 WCAG 2.0 A Element in required WAI-ARIA context role (WCAG 1.3.1) 1/2629 pages · 5 instances · possible duplicate Likely content

Bug ID: VS-e9582237
Pattern ID: VS-0ddc2ac6
Combined ID: VS-e9582237 (pattern VS-0ddc2ac6) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Element in required WAI-ARIA context role [sia-r42]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/
XPath / selector: <button type="button" id="trigger-tabs-1714902645" aria-expanded="false" class="responsive-tabs__tab-button--mobile ds-u-display--flex">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)
Possible duplicate: Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-a64dbd18 (pattern VS-6175596b). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

Element in required WAI-ARIA context role. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r42 on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (5 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/.
Locate the element: <button type="button" id="trigger-tabs-1714902645" aria-expanded="false" class="responsive-tabs__tab-button--mobile ds-u-display--flex">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r42 against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r42

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r66 WCAG 2.x AAA Text has enhanced contrast (WCAG 1.4.6) 1/2629 pages · 5 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-96a12e61
Pattern ID: VS-646b1e0b
Combined ID: VS-96a12e61 (pattern VS-646b1e0b) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation: aspirational
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Text has enhanced contrast [sia-r66]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx?bc=18&chapter=190&labOnly=labonlyncd&ncdid=103&ncdver=1&sortBy=chapter
XPath / selector: text: "Here's how you know"
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Text has enhanced contrast. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r66 on 19 of 2629 scanned pages (87 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx?bc=18&chapter=190&labOnly=labonlyncd&ncdid=103&ncdver=1&sortBy=chapter.
Locate the element: text: "Here's how you know"
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r66 against WCAG 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced).

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

/medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/events

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Increase text contrast to meet WCAG AAA (7:1).

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r66

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r17 WCAG 2.0 A aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements (WCAG 4.1.2) 1/2629 pages · 3 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-960f6639
Pattern ID: VS-f6cf30ff
Combined ID: VS-960f6639 (pattern VS-f6cf30ff) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements [sia-r17]
Example URL: http://cms.gov/priorities/innovation/models
XPath / selector: <div id="tooltip-trigger--2" tabindex="-1" class="ds-c-tooltip" data-placement="top">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r17 on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (3 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open http://cms.gov/priorities/innovation/models.
Locate the element: <div id="tooltip-trigger--2" tabindex="-1" class="ds-c-tooltip" data-placement="top">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r17 against WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited manipulation/strength (13.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited manipulation/strength — 13.0% of population

Affected pages

/priorities/innovation/models

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r17

Triage status Notes

Moderate axe landmark-banner-is-top-level Best Practice Banner landmark should not be contained in another landmark (WCAG criterion undetermined) 1/2629 pages · 1 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-484d58ec
Pattern ID: VS-30db094d
Combined ID: VS-484d58ec (pattern VS-30db094d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Banner landmark should not be contained in another landmark [landmark-banner-is-top-level]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/Outpatient.html
XPath / selector: .Header
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<header class="Header" style="position: sticky;">

Description

Banner landmark should not be contained in another landmark. Detected by axe-core rule landmark-banner-is-top-level on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/Outpatient.html.
Locate the element: .Header
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule landmark-banner-is-top-level.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/Outpatient.html

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Put the banner landmark (<header>) at the top level, not nested inside another landmark.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/landmark-banner-is-top-level?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r62 WCAG 2.0 A Link in text block is visually distinguishable without color (WCAG 1.4.1) 1/2629 pages · 1 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-c90c3b86
Pattern ID: VS-efd91fdd
Combined ID: VS-c90c3b86 (pattern VS-efd91fdd) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.1 Use of Color (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Link in text block is visually distinguishable without color [sia-r62]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/data
XPath / selector: <a href="https://data.cms.gov/fact-sheet/cms-fast-facts" data-once="linkMatch">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Link in text block is visually distinguishable without color. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r62 on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/data.
Locate the element: <a href="https://data.cms.gov/fact-sheet/cms-fast-facts" data-once="linkMatch">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r62 against WCAG 1.4.1 Use of Color.

Impact

Affects Without color perception (4.5%), Limited vision (2.4%).

Without color perception — 4.5% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population

Affected pages

/newsroom/data

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Make links visually distinguishable from surrounding text (not by color alone).

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r62

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r68 WCAG 2.0 A Presentational children of an element are not focusable (WCAG 1.3.1) 1/2629 pages · 1 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-1d5bb111
Pattern ID: VS-d6097011
Combined ID: VS-1d5bb111 (pattern VS-d6097011) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Presentational children of an element are not focusable [sia-r68]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx?ncaid=239
XPath / selector: <ul class="nav nav-pills flex-column">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

Description

Presentational children of an element are not focusable. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r68 on 10 of 2629 scanned pages (10 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx?ncaid=239.
Locate the element: <ul class="nav nav-pills flex-column">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r68 against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

/medicaid-chip/medicare-coordination/avoidable-hospitalizations

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r68

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r77 WCAG 2.0 A Table cell has header (WCAG 1.3.1) 1/2629 pages · 1 instances · possible duplicate Likely content

Bug ID: VS-a7955214
Pattern ID: VS-3f067795
Combined ID: VS-a7955214 (pattern VS-3f067795) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Table cell has header [sia-r77]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coverage/determination-process/basics/icd-10
XPath / selector: <td>
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)
Possible duplicate: Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-a64dbd18 (pattern VS-6175596b). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

Table cell has header. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r77 on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coverage/determination-process/basics/icd-10.
Locate the element: <td>
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r77 against WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability (11.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited cognitive, language, or learning ability — 11.0% of population

Affected pages

/medicare/coverage/determination-process/basics/icd-10

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r77

Triage status Notes

Moderate axe meta-viewport WCAG 2.0 AA Zooming and scaling must not be disabled (WCAG 1.4.4) 1/2629 pages · 1 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-13cd516f
Pattern ID: VS-6c86a43a
Combined ID: VS-13cd516f (pattern VS-6c86a43a) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 AA
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.4 Resize Text (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: axe-core — Zooming and scaling must not be disabled [meta-viewport]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/MLN/WBT/MLN6447308-ICD-10-CM/icd10cm/story.html
XPath / selector: meta[name="viewport"]
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1,user-scalable=no,shrink-to-fit=no,minimal-ui">

Description

Zooming and scaling must not be disabled. Detected by axe-core rule meta-viewport on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/MLN/WBT/MLN6447308-ICD-10-CM/icd10cm/story.html.
Locate the element: meta[name="viewport"]
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule meta-viewport against WCAG 1.4.4 Resize Text.

Impact

Affects Limited vision (2.4%).

Limited vision — 2.4% of population

Affected pages

/Outreach-and-Education/MLN/WBT/MLN6447308-ICD-10-CM/icd10cm/story.html

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Don't disable zoom (user-scalable=no / maximum-scale=1); low-vision users need to zoom.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/meta-viewport?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Minor axe empty-table-header Best Practice Table header text should not be empty (WCAG criterion undetermined) 1/2629 pages · 2 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-0630997b
Pattern ID: VS-d69fc059
Combined ID: VS-0630997b (pattern VS-d69fc059) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Table header text should not be empty [empty-table-header]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicare-fee-for-service-payment/sharedsavingsprogram/application-information
XPath / selector: th:nth-child(1)
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<th><img src="/medicare/medicare-fee-for-service-payment/sharedsavingsprogram/other-content-types/for-acos-types-and-timeline.png" alt="" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="9dd5a361-1bdf-40f4-

Description

Table header text should not be empty. Detected by axe-core rule empty-table-header on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (2 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicare-fee-for-service-payment/sharedsavingsprogram/application-information.
Locate the element: th:nth-child(1)
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule empty-table-header.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

/medicare/medicare-fee-for-service-payment/sharedsavingsprogram/application-information

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/empty-table-header?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Minor axe aria-allowed-role Best Practice ARIA role should be appropriate for the element (WCAG criterion undetermined) 1/2629 pages · 1 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-1b5b8644
Pattern ID: VS-4fac2f41
Combined ID: VS-1b5b8644 (pattern VS-4fac2f41) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — ARIA role should be appropriate for the element [aria-allowed-role]
Example URL: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/MLN/WBT/MLN6447308-ICD-10-CM/icd10cm/story.html
XPath / selector: body
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W24 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<body style="background: #072137" class="cs-HTML theme-unified view-desktop is-landscape ff-on ff-drop-in-base ff-multiple-quiz-tracking ff-player-size-option sidebar-left zoom-mode timeline-playing n

Description

ARIA role should be appropriate for the element. Detected by axe-core rule aria-allowed-role on 1 of 2629 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/MLN/WBT/MLN6447308-ICD-10-CM/icd10cm/story.html.
Locate the element: body
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule aria-allowed-role.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

/Outreach-and-Education/MLN/WBT/MLN6447308-ICD-10-CM/icd10cm/story.html

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Remove or change the ARIA role — it isn't allowed on this element type.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/aria-allowed-role?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Deque axe-core findings

Rule-level axe-core summary (18 rule type(s))

Each failing rule links out to the axe-core documentation. For full element-level detail including HTML snippets and XPaths, see the bug reports above.

axe-core rules failing in 2026-W24, by pages affected
Rule	Impact	Pages affected	Instances	Example pages	All affected
Heading levels should only increase by one [heading-order]	moderate	223	259	/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index /About-CMS/Agency-information/History/index /medicare/physician-fee-schedule/search/overview	all 223 pages (CSV)
Links must be distinguishable without relying on color [link-in-text-block]	serious	32	76	/medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx	all 32 pages (CSV)
Page should contain a level-one heading [page-has-heading-one]	moderate	25	25	/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/ambulatory-surgical-center-asc/asc-payment-rates-addenda /priorities/crushing-fraud-waste-abuse/overview/cms-idea-challenge-strategies-securing-member-ids /medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/about/security-privacy	all 25 pages (CSV)
Headings should not be empty [empty-heading]	minor	18	18	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0010.html /priorities/health-equity/minority-health/resource-center/health-care-professionals-researchers/quality-improvement-interventions	all 18 pages (CSV)
All page content should be contained by landmarks [region]	moderate	11	288	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0010.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0006.html	all 11 pages (CSV)
<html> element must have a lang attribute [html-has-lang]	serious	11	11	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0010.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0006.html	all 11 pages (CSV)
Images must have alternative text [image-alt]	critical	11	11	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0010.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0006.html	all 11 pages (CSV)
Document should have one main landmark [landmark-one-main]	moderate	11	11	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0010.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0006.html	all 11 pages (CSV)
<ul> and <ol> must only directly contain <li>, <script> or <template> elements [list]	serious	9	17	/newsroom/search /newsroom/search /newsroom/search	all 9 pages (CSV)
Links must have discernible text [link-name]	serious	8	15	/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/long-term-care-hospital /medicare/medicaid-coordination/about/dsnps /medicare/enrollment-renewal/providers-suppliers/hospitals-center	all 8 pages (CSV)
scope attribute should be used correctly [scope-attr-valid]	moderate	6	72	/medicare-coverage-database/view/technology-assessments.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/details/medicare-coverage-document-details.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx	all 6 pages (CSV)
<li> elements must be contained in a <ul> or <ol> [listitem]	serious	2	40	/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncacal-decision-memo.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/view/ncacal-decision-memo.aspx	all 2 pages (CSV)
Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds [color-contrast]	serious	1	37	/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncacal-decision-memo.aspx	all 1 pages (CSV)
Table header text should not be empty [empty-table-header]	minor	1	2	/medicare/medicare-fee-for-service-payment/sharedsavingsprogram/application-information	all 1 pages (CSV)
lang attribute must have a valid value [valid-lang]	serious	1	1	/data-research/monitoring-programs/improper-payment-measurement-programs/exchange-improper-payment-measurement-eipm/improper-payment-findings	all 1 pages (CSV)
Banner landmark should not be contained in another landmark [landmark-banner-is-top-level]	moderate	1	1	/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/Outpatient.html	all 1 pages (CSV)
ARIA role should be appropriate for the element [aria-allowed-role]	minor	1	1	/Outreach-and-Education/MLN/WBT/MLN6447308-ICD-10-CM/icd10cm/story.html	all 1 pages (CSV)
Zooming and scaling must not be disabled [meta-viewport]	moderate	1	1	/Outreach-and-Education/MLN/WBT/MLN6447308-ICD-10-CM/icd10cm/story.html	all 1 pages (CSV)

Siteimprove Alfa findings

Rule-level Alfa summary (21 rule type(s))

Rule-level summary from Siteimprove Alfa (W3C ACT-based). Findings that overlap with axe-core on the same WCAG success criterion are noted as possible duplicates in the bug reports above.

Alfa rules failing in 2026-W24, by pages affected
Rule	Impact	Pages affected	Instances	Example pages	All affected
Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced) [sia-r111]	n/a	1178	61216	/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19 /priorities/innovation/models /medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index	all 1178 pages (CSV)
Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 [sia-r73]	n/a	1178	18945	/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19 /priorities/innovation/models /medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index	all 1178 pages (CSV)
Form field label is visible [sia-r61]	n/a	1175	1175	/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19 /priorities/innovation/models /medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index	all 1175 pages (CSV)
Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard [sia-r57]	n/a	731	731	/newsroom/press-releases/cms-releases-new-tools-streamline-certification-labs-testing-covid-19 /priorities/innovation/models /medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index	all 731 pages (CSV)
Headings are structured hierarchically [sia-r53]	n/a	128	162	/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/acute-inpatient-pps/wage-index /medicare/coverage/summary-notice /medicare/medicaid-coordination/about/quality	all 128 pages (CSV)
Table header has scope [sia-r78]	n/a	34	41	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /medicare/quality/cms-national-quality-strategy/meaningful-measures-2-0 /	all 34 pages (CSV)
Link is distinguishable without relying on color [sia-r74]	n/a	20	548	/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx	all 20 pages (CSV)
Accessible name of link or button matches visible label [sia-r14]	n/a	20	36	/priorities/innovation/models /medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx	all 20 pages (CSV)
Text has enhanced contrast [sia-r66]	n/a	19	87	/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx /medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/events /medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx	all 19 pages (CSV)
Presentational children of an element are not focusable [sia-r68]	n/a	10	10	/medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/view/nca.aspx	all 10 pages (CSV)
Link has accessible name [sia-r11]	n/a	7	11	/medicare/payment/prospective-payment-systems/long-term-care-hospital /medicare/medicaid-coordination/about/dsnps /medicare/enrollment-renewal/providers-suppliers/hospitals-center	all 7 pages (CSV)
Target size is at least 24×24 CSS pixels or has spacing (Minimum) [sia-r113]	n/a	6	32	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/about/current-partners /medicare/enrollment-renewal/providers-suppliers/chain-ownership-system-pecos	all 6 pages (CSV)
Element has required owned roles [sia-r64]	n/a	6	6	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /medicare/quality/nursing-home-improvement/resident-assessment-instrument-manual /medicare/quality/nursing-home-improvement/announcements	all 6 pages (CSV)
Image has accessible name [sia-r2]	n/a	3	3	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0001.html /icd10m/version372-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0001.html	all 3 pages (CSV)
Document has a valid lang attribute [sia-r4]	n/a	3	3	/icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0183.html /icd10m/version38-0-R1-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0001.html /icd10m/version372-fullcode-cms/fullcode_cms/P0001.html	all 3 pages (CSV)
Duplicate role landmark is labeled [sia-r79]	n/a	3	3	/medicare-coverage-database/details/medicare-coverage-document-details.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/details/medicare-coverage-document-details.aspx /medicare-coverage-database/details/nca-decision-memo.aspx	all 3 pages (CSV)
Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced) [sia-r69]	n/a	1	28	/medicare/medicaid-coordination/healthcare-fraud-prevention-partnership/events	all 1 pages (CSV)
Element in required WAI-ARIA context role [sia-r42]	n/a	1	5	/	all 1 pages (CSV)
aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements [sia-r17]	n/a	1	3	/priorities/innovation/models	all 1 pages (CSV)
Link in text block is visually distinguishable without color [sia-r62]	n/a	1	1	/newsroom/data	all 1 pages (CSV)
Table cell has header [sia-r77]	n/a	1	1	/medicare/coverage/determination-process/basics/icd-10	all 1 pages (CSV)

Unique accessibility issues (axe + Alfa consolidated)

axe and Alfa both implement W3C ACT rules, so the same issue is often caught by both. These are deduplicated by ACT rule and page, so a shared finding counts once (4899 raw engine findings → 4880 unique).

Unique issues (rule × page): 4880
Caught by both engines: 19 highest confidence
axe only: 354
Alfa only: 4507

4 rule type(s) caught by both engines — highest confidence

Two independent ACT-rule implementations (Deque axe-core and Siteimprove Alfa) flagged the same issue on the same pages. Agreement between separate engines is strong evidence the barrier is real, not a single-tool false positive — the best place to start.

Rules flagged by both axe-core and Alfa in 2026-W24, by pages affected.
Issue	Pages	Rule references
Headings should not be empty	18	axe empty-heading · Alfa sia-r64 · ACT ffd0e9
<html> element must have a lang attribute	11	axe html-has-lang · Alfa sia-r4 · ACT b5c3f8
Images must have alternative text	11	axe image-alt · Alfa sia-r2 · ACT 23a2a8
Links must have discernible text	8	axe link-name · Alfa sia-r11 · ACT c487ae