2026 Proposed Physician Fee Schedule Increases Payments

On July 14, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for calendar year (CY) 2026. In addition to the agency’s suggested increase to physician payments, the proposed rule also announces a new payment model and more telehealth flexibilities. According to CMS, the “proposed rule is one of several proposed rules that reflect a broader Administration-wide strategy to create a health care system that results in better quality, efficiency, empowerment, and innovation for all Medicare beneficiaries.” (Read more...)

DOJ-HHS FCA Working Group Revived

On July 2, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced during the American Health Law Association (AHLA) Annual Meeting that the agencies have reestablished a Working Group to “strengthen” their ongoing collaboration, specifically as relates to the False Claims Act (FCA). This Health Capital Topics article discusses the Working Group’s priorities and the implications for providers. (Read more...)

CMS Proposes Updates to the OPPS

On July 15, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed rule for the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System for calendar year (CY) 2026. Among other items, the agency proposes increasing payments to all outpatient providers, eliminating the Inpatient Only (IPO) List, and changing quality reporting programs. This Health Capital Topics article reviews the proposed updates and changes to outpatient reimbursement. (Read more...) 

Valuation of Anesthesiology Services: Technological Advancements

As discussed in the first two installments of this three-part series on the valuation of anesthesiology services, despite the increasing demand for anesthesiology providers, Medicare reimbursement for anesthesiology has decreased over the past few years. Additionally, like other healthcare providers, anesthesiology clinicians face a range of federal and state legal and regulatory constraints that affect their formation, operation, procedural coding and billing, and transactions. These dual pressures—declining reimbursement coupled with increasing regulatory scrutiny—create a need for reliance on emerging technological innovations in order to survive. Consequently, this final installment will review the technological advancements impacting the delivery of anesthesiology services. (Read more...) 

NEW ARTICLE!

"The Perfect Healthcare Storm," authored by HCC's Todd A. Zigrang and Jessica Bailey-Wheaton, was published in of QuckRead published by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA).

For more recently published material written by HCC, please visit www.healthcapital.com

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Part I of II of the Valuation of Freestanding Emergency Departments series was featured in the recent issue of The Value Examiner, published by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA) .

For more recently published material written by HCC, please visit www.healthcapital.com

Read Here