Reimbursement

Nearly half of health care organizations say patient access improved this year. Fewer than one in five patients agree. Experian Health's chief operating officer explains what practices are measuring that patients are not, and why a missing cost estimate now keeps patients out of the exam room entirely.

The top news stories in medicine this week.

2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule at heart of Primary Care Collaborative discussion

Dan D'Orazio of Sage Growth Partners says there are just too many obstacles for the American health system to fully embrace value-based care

Another conversion factor cut is on the table for 2027, and MGMA's Anders Gilberg breaks down why budget neutrality keeps forcing cuts in one specialty to pay for another and what the end of MIPS means for physicians.

The top news stories in medicine this week.

RFK Jr. says California and Minnesota have to prove the legitimacy of claims before the money flows.

The 2026 Medicare Advantage raise is a pause, not a trend. When rates tighten in 2027, these basics will separate a shared savings check from a shortfall.

Access, AI and accountable care are part of now and the future, CMS leaders say.

The top news stories in medicine this week.

Actions this week involve three major health care policy bills

The draft 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule opens five questions about the AMA's control of CPT codes, from licensing costs to who decides what a code is worth.

A reimbursement gap of five to 12 times for the same procedure is letting hospitals outbid private practices for their own physicians. Three U.S. Women's Health Alliance advocates explain what it costs patients and what they are asking Congress to do about it.

Physician lawmakers support primary care, inflation-indexed payments and new POINTS system for quality reporting.

Accountable care wins, but physicians and policy experts warn cuts are baked in

Two physicians and two health system executives got candid with Chief Healthcare Executive about denials, administrative burden and what AI is actually delivering.

CMS chief Dr. Oz touts ‘some of the most significant Medicare reforms in recent years’

AMGA, lawmakers lead charge against beneficiary pay for chronic care management.

What primary care physicians should know about developing science that moves beyond skin substitutes.

Physicians are loading protected health information into consumer AI tools. Here’s how to avoid risk of HIPAA violations

Primary care is a team sport, but some of the most important players are outside the physician’s office.

Can independent practices turn Medicare into a strategic advantage? How to go from liability to leverage

The latest HHS-OIG findings spur audits in real time around vascular procedures — and primary care could be involved.

Here’s how to get paid more for managing patient complex conditions over time.

A new federal rule makes it far less expensive for practices to challenge denied and reduced payments, but Anders Gilberg of MGMA says the more difficult problem is getting insurers to pay up after physicians win.