News

Medicare Money
CMS 2026 physician fee schedule emphasizes chronic disease management, includes pay raise

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a 3.26% reimbursement increase for all providers, with those enrolled in alternative payment models seeing a higher 3.77% rise.

Contractor for clinician-focused addiction recovery program sued over ‘punishingly expensive’ practices

The plaintiffs, 10 nurses and one doctor, are all enrolled in the state-mandated initiative for clinicians with past substance abuse issues. The rules require monitoring and regular drug testing to prove sobriety; however, the lot argues that the contractor in charge, Maximus, is being dishonestly punitive.

cleveland clinic settles for failing to disclose research funding
Class action lawsuit over 5.6M breached records at Yale New Haven settled for $18M

The settlement fund is being established for victims of the March 8 data breach, with a hearing to finalize the agreement scheduled for March 2026. Yale New Haven Health System denies any wrongdoing.

At the recent American College of Cardiology (ACC) Legislative Committee meeting, leaders warned that ongoing federal policy uncertainty threatens patient access and the stability of cardiovascular care. Cathie Biga, MSM, immediate past president of the ACC, outlined growing concerns over telehealth, shrinking Medicare reimbursement, and mounting physician workforce shortages driven by visa restrictions.
ACC raises red flags over telehealth, payment reform and the cardiologist shortage

"We need telehealth the way we had it for COVID," Cathie Biga told Cardiovascular Business at TCT 2025. "We don't want to go back to having it so restricted."

blood clot flow artery thrombectomy
Radiologists remain dominant specialty for key clot-busting procedure, with opportunity for expansion

Cardiologists recorded the biggest overall uptick in claims at roughly 185%, according to research published Thursday in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. 

phenylephrine FDA
COVID-19, other infections linked to major cardiovascular risks—researchers push for vaccination

Adults are three times as likely to have a heart attack or stroke after a COVID-19 infection than when they are healthy. The risks are even greater for the flu.

A majority of medical devices involved in Class I recalls were never required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to undergo premarket or postmarket clinical testing, according to new research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.[1]
How to minimize bleeding risks after TAVR

Bleeding events remain a serious complication after TAVR. By identifying high-risk patients early and planning ahead, however, care teams can keep them to a minimum.

Physician conversation
Healthcare AI today: Rusty clinical skills, AI growing up so fast, AI for the malnourished

Clinicians who come to rely on AI for decision support risk the dulling of their skills. The concern is not new. But now comes a pointed call to researchers: Inquire about the particulars of the peril.

A majority of medical devices involved in Class I recalls were never required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to undergo premarket or postmarket clinical testing, according to new research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.[1]
Valve durability after TAVR: Cardiologists track how deterioration influences outcomes

Researchers have made it a priority to learn as much about the durability of TAVR valves as possible. A new study in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions used updated VARC-3 definitions to identify signs of hemodynamic valve deterioration in nearly 2,500 patients.

MGMA's Anders Gilberg calls on CMS and Congress to extend telemedicine and highlights the issues involved.
Congress hesitates on long-term telemedicine expansion admid advocacy push

Congress temporarily extended telemedicine provisions until March amid lobby efforts by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) and others to make the provisions permanent.

AI-powered heart assessments of NFL veterans could help cardiologists tackle CVD

Retired NFL players Joel Dreessen and Le-Lo Lang are among the first athletes participating in a new registry launched by HeartFlow and the Boone Heart Institute.

Republican Sen. Jeffrey Gordon, MD
State lawmaker wants increased scrutiny around Rad Partners affiliate Jefferson Radiology

Republican Sen. Jeffrey Gordon, MD, said Wednesday that he has heard from a dozen constituents about the issue and also discussed it with his physician colleagues. 

Around the web

Health Exec
CMS 2026 physician fee schedule emphasizes chronic disease management, includes pay raise

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a 3.26% reimbursement increase for all providers, with those enrolled in alternative payment models seeing a higher 3.77% rise.

Health Exec
Contractor for clinician-focused addiction recovery program sued over ‘punishingly expensive’ practices

The plaintiffs, 10 nurses and one doctor, are all enrolled in the state-mandated initiative for clinicians with past substance abuse issues. The rules require monitoring and regular drug testing to prove sobriety; however, the lot argues that the contractor in charge, Maximus, is being dishonestly punitive.

Health Exec
Class action lawsuit over 5.6M breached records at Yale New Haven settled for $18M

The settlement fund is being established for victims of the March 8 data breach, with a hearing to finalize the agreement scheduled for March 2026. Yale New Haven Health System denies any wrongdoing.

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