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CMS Releases 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums, Deductibles & Coinsurance

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CMS has announced the 2026 cost updates for Medicare Parts A and B, outlining new deductible and coinsurance amounts that will take effect next year. These changes impact inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, and outpatient services. Medicare Part A – Inpatient Hospital Costs The Part A inpatient hospital deductible will increase to $1,736 in 2026, up from $1,676 in 2025. This deductible applies to the first 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient care.For longer…
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CMS Moves CLIA Program to Electronic Fee Coupons & Certificates

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CMS is modernizing the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) program by shifting from mailed paper fee coupons and certificates to fully electronic delivery. Beginning March 1, 2026, laboratories and providers that perform lab testing must opt in to receive CLIA certificates and fee notices by email. After this date, CMS will no longer send paper versions. To transition to electronic notifications, labs can choose one of three options: This new process does not apply to…
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Alabama Physicians Driving Innovation in Advanced GI Care

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Alabama continues to strengthen its leadership in advanced gastrointestinal care thanks to a major clinical milestone led by Dr. Mohamad Eloubeidi, director of endoscopy at Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center and president of the Alabama Gastroenterology Society. Dr. Eloubeidi recently performed Alabama’s first next-generation EUS-guided biopsy, using a device capable of collecting larger, higher-quality tissue samples. This advancement improves diagnostic accuracy for complex pancreatic and GI conditions and marks a significant step forward in the…
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CMS Requests Feedback on the MIPS Final Performance Feedback Experience

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If you’ve reviewed your 2024 MIPS final performance feedback on the QPP website, CMS is inviting clinicians and practices to share their experience through a brief survey. This is an opportunity to help shape how MIPS performance information is delivered moving forward and ensure it better supports the needs of participating providers. The survey takes no more than 15 minutes to complete and is voluntary, confidential, and conducted by independent contractors. No individuals or organizations…
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Medicare Claims Processing Update Following Government Shutdown

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After the government shutdown earlier this fall, several Medicare payment provisions expired on October 1, 2025. With the passage of the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026, Congress has now retroactively restored many of these policies through January 30, 2026—including key Medicare telehealth flexibilities that allow patients to receive telehealth services from home and in non-rural areas. How Claims Were Affected During the lapse, MACs processed claims based on the payment schedules available at the…
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7 Alabama Hospitals Earn CMS Five-Star Rating for Quietness

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its latest Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data, rating hospitals nationwide on patient experience — including how quiet hospital rooms are at night. Between October 2023 and September 2024, CMS surveyed patients across the country, with only 225 hospitals earning a five-star quietness rating this year — down from 313 in April. In Alabama, seven hospitals received top marks for providing…
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Cardiology faces rising demand and mounting operational pressure heading into the next decade

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Cardiology is experiencing rapid change as patient volumes grow, reimbursement tightens, and demographic shifts reshape delivery models. These five key stats highlight why many cardiology leaders expect significant pressure — and opportunity — in the years ahead: These trends point to a cardiology landscape that is growing in demand but also facing tighter margins, workforce constraints, and significant strategic shifts. Resource: 5 stats shaping cardiology’s future

Anesthesia groups face mounting pressure heading into 2026

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As anesthesia practices prepare for 2026, the specialty is confronting increasing financial and operational strain driven by reimbursement cuts, workforce shortages, and rising costs. Five key trends are shaping the outlook: These trends suggest a challenging year ahead for anesthesia services, particularly related to staffing, reimbursement, and long-term sustainability. Resource: 5 stats making anesthesia leaders nervous

Aetna delays new inpatient severity-level payment policy to 2025

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Aetna has postponed the rollout of its new “level of severity inpatient payment” policy for Medicare Advantage members, moving it from Nov. 15 to early next year. Under this approach, Aetna will automatically approve certain inpatient stays—without a medical necessity review—but pay them at a lower severity rate similar to observation status unless the stay meets Aetna’s additional inpatient criteria. The policy applies to affiliated Medicare facilities and focuses on urgent or emergent admissions lasting…
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Regional Medical Center of Central Alabama to end inpatient care as it pursues rural emergency hospital status

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Regional Medical Center of Central Alabama (RMCCA) in Greenville has announced plans to discontinue inpatient services and lay off roughly 90 employees as part of a major restructuring effort. The hospital’s board unanimously approved transitioning to a rural emergency hospital (REH) — a federal designation meant to help rural facilities stay open by focusing on emergency, outpatient, and limited on-site services rather than traditional inpatient care. According to RMCCA, the shift is driven by ongoing…
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Severe flu outbreaks across globe spur warnings for US

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Countries across the globe are reporting an unusually early and intense start to flu season, driven by a newly mutated version of the H3N2 influenza A strain. This strain, which tends to cause more severe illness—especially in older adults and young children—picked up multiple mutations over the summer. Because of these changes, it differs from the H3N2 component included in this year’s flu vaccine. The impact has been significant overseas: Experts say these trends are…
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U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) Toolkit

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The U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW), is every November 18-24. The theme for the 2025 USAAW 2025 “Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance Takes All of Us.” The USAAW raises awareness of the importance of appropriate antibiotic and antifungal use and the threat antimicrobial resistance (AR) poses to people, animal, plants, and their shared environment. Check USAAW for daily tips this week, but also a great resource to refer back to throughout the year.