Professional Associations

This page includes news coverage of medical associations and medical societies. Use these links to find focused news coverage from specific organizations: Cardiology Associations, Healthcare Associations, Radiology Associations.

Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cuts cardiologist pay because CMS says doctors should be more efficient
The new, negative 2.5% efficiency adjustment will be applied to the vast majority of Medicare payments for physician services. It was opposed by cardiology and most other medical societies.
Pulmonary embolism thrombectomy use increases by more than 700%
Medicare claims submitted between 2017 and 2022 showed a 712% increase in thrombectomy for pulmonary embolism (PE) and a 137% increase in thrombectomy for deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
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."
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.
Key takeaways for interventional cardiology from TCT 2025
B. Hadley Wilson, MD, talked to Cardiovascular Business about several standout late-breaking clinical trials presented at TCT 2025. Topics of those trials included drug-coated balloons, TAVR valve durability, pulmonary embolism treatments and much more.

Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) with the Watchman FLX device from Boston Scientific is associated with positive outcomes and limited adverse events after one year, according to new findings published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.[1] Many prior Watchman FLX studies, including PINNACLE FLX, had focused on the device’s performance in a controlled setting. The study’s authors hoped to gain a better understanding of its real-world impact by reviewing registry data from more than 97,000 U.S

LAAO with Watchman FLX associated with positive 1-year outcomes, real-world data confirm

Researchers hoped to gain a better understanding of the device's real-world impact by reviewing registry data from more than 97,000 U.S. patients. Overall, the Watchman FLX was linked to positive data and limited adverse events one year after treatment.

CMS may double Medicare payments for cardiac CT

The agency is gathering feedback on a proposal to double the amount hospitals are paid for coronary computed tomography angiography, with the comment period ending Sept. 9.

physician tracking patient data and reporting on outcomes

Cardiology groups introduce new performance, quality measures for heart failure

The American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and Heart Failure Society of America worked together on the updated document, adding three new performance measures and six new quality measures. They did not remove a single recommendation from the previous document published in 2020.

The J-Valve manufactured by JC Medical, a Genesis MedTech company, includes a self-expanding nitinol frame, bovine pericardial leaflets and three anchor rings designed to assist operators with alignment. Its delivery system was built with transfemoral access in mind, and JC Medical plans to offer the valve in five different sizes.

New TAVR valve for native aortic regurgitation linked to positive 30-day outcomes

The J Valve from JC Medical was linked to positive outcomes and “excellent” hemodynamic data after 30 days in an early feasibility study published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. Researchers noted that the valve showed potential in patients with large aortic annuli, which represents an "unmet critical need" at this stage.

Newsweek ranked the 50 best heart hospitals in the world

10 key updates from new American College of Cardiology inpatient heart failure recommendations

The new expert consensus decision pathway replaces a similar document from 2019 and is to be used in conjunction with heart failure guidelines published in 2022 by the ACC, American Heart Association and Heart Failure Society of America.

Cardiologist Ami B. Bhatt, MD, a digital health specialist and longtime member of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), will serve as the Digital Health Advisory Committee's very first chair.

Cardiologist to chair new FDA advisory committee focused on AI, other digital health technologies

The Digital Health Advisory Committee is tasked with providing perspective and recommendations on a wide variety of topics. These insights will then help the FDA draft new policies and make other important decisions.

Dan Blumenthal, MD, MBA, chief quality officer at the Cardiovascular Associates of America, and a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, spoke at the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) 2024 meeting business sessions on how changes in Medicare payments will impact electrophysiology and cardiology more broadly.

What cardiologists should expect as U.S. healthcare payment models evolve

Cardiologist Dan Blumenthal, MD, MBA, explains how changes in Medicare payments will greatly impact cardiology in the years ahead. In just a few short years, the business side of cardiology could look substantially different than it does today.

American College of Radiology (ACR) CEO Dana H. Smetherman, MD, MPH, MBA, FACR, explains why opportunistic screening is an important AI imaging technology trend radiology practices should be paying attention.

AI opportunistic screening may have tremendous potential to help patients, ACR CEO says

American College of Radiology leader Dana Smetherman, MD, MBA, discusses the new technology trend and why radiologists should be paying attention.

Professional Associations

Medicare Physician Fee Schedule cuts cardiologist pay because CMS says doctors should be more efficient

Pulmonary embolism thrombectomy use increases by more than 700%

ACC raises red flags over telehealth, payment reform and the cardiologist shortage

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

Key takeaways for interventional cardiology from TCT 2025