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Medicare releases 2026 physician fee schedule, finalizing cuts opposed by radiology

Medicare is finalizing a controversial “efficiency adjustment” and cuts related to practice expenses—both opposed by imaging groups earlier this year.

wait times waiting hour glass calendar delay

45% of seniors report longer wait times for care than 1 year ago, new RBMA survey finds

About 60% of those experiencing delays said they’ve struggled to find doctors who accept Medicare, the Radiology Business Management Association reports.

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 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."

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.

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.

FDA accepts application for new Alzheimer’s PET imaging agent from Lantheus

The company is working to commercialize MK-6240, a radiodiagnostic that targets tau protein tangles—a “key hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases.”

Recor Medical's Paradise Ultrasound Renal Denervation System

Medicare now covers renal denervation for patients with uncontrolled hypertension

This decision expands access to renal denervation to many more patients throughout the United States. Recor Medical and Medtronic both gained FDA approval for their RDN systems in 2023, and other vendors are actively developing their own treatment options.

Clinical trials paused due to heart patient’s hospitalization

Intellia Therapeutics paused clinical trials for ATTR-CM and ATTR-PN after a patient was hospitalized due to a significant liver injury.

Massachusetts staffing agency, owner indicted for sending fake CNAs to nursing homes

The allegations are part of a 13-count indictment unveiled Monday by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell listing Blooming Staffing Agency, its owner and an employee as defendants. They are accused of billing nursing homes after knowingly placing unlicensed nursing assistants to care for elderly patients.

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Medicare releases 2026 physician fee schedule, finalizing cuts opposed by radiology

Medicare is finalizing a controversial “efficiency adjustment” and cuts related to practice expenses—both opposed by imaging groups earlier this year.

Radiology Business

45% of seniors report longer wait times for care than 1 year ago, new RBMA survey finds

About 60% of those experiencing delays said they’ve struggled to find doctors who accept Medicare, the Radiology Business Management Association reports.