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Medicare Part B Drug Pricing and Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Updates

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CMS has released its October 2026 updates to the Medicare Part B drug pricing files, including quarterly updates to Average Sales Price (ASP) and Not Otherwise Classified (NOC) pricing information. The CMS resource includes the current October 2026 files as well as previous quarterly updates for reference. CMS has also posted information for the CY 2027 Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) rate-setting process. Practices and other interested parties have until October 21, 2026, to submit comments on preliminary…
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CMS Updates 2026 QCDR and Qualified Registry Listings

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CMS has updated the 2026 QCDR and Qualified Registry Qualified Postings in the Quality Payment Program (QPP) Resource Library to reflect new or resolved remedial actions and terminations involving third-party intermediaries. The Qualified Posting lists the QCDRs and Qualified Registries approved by CMS to collect and submit MIPS data on behalf of eligible clinicians, groups, virtual groups, subgroups, and APM Entities, including Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs, for the 2026 MIPS performance year. These intermediaries may submit quality…
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Top Health Questions Patients Are Searching Ahead of Virus Season

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As the 2026–27 virus season approaches, Americans are turning to search engines for answers to common questions about respiratory illnesses. A recent analysis of 30,000 health-related search queries found that the 15 most-searched respiratory health questions account for more than 731,000 estimated U.S. searches each month. The most common question was “Is pneumonia contagious?”, with an estimated 137,000 searches per month, followed by questions about whether bronchitis is contagious, what RSV is, how long the flu lasts,…
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U.S. Cancer Mortality Has Declined 35% Since 1991

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The American Association for Cancer Research’s 2026 Cancer Progress Report found that the overall U.S. cancer mortality rate declined 35% between 1991 and 2024, representing nearly 5 million cancer deaths averted. The decline has been largely associated with reduced smoking rates and fewer lung cancer deaths, along with improvements in colorectal and breast cancer outcomes, early detection, and treatment. The report also highlighted continued progress in cancer therapies, including 11 new anticancer therapies and new indications…
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Medicare GLP-1 Coverage Expands Access for Seniors

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About 700,000 Medicare beneficiaries have started GLP-1 treatments since Medicare coverage of obesity medications began through the temporary Bridge program in July. Eligible beneficiaries can access covered weight-loss medications for a $50 monthly copay. Eli Lilly reported that approximately 70% of these new patients are using Lilly medications, including Zepbound and the newer obesity pill Foundayo. The company also reported that about one-third of new patients taking oral GLP-1 medications are using Foundayo. The early enrollment numbers provide an…
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Healthcare Clearinghouse Redundancy Remains a Concern Two Years After Change Healthcare Cyberattack

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Two years after the 2024 Change Healthcare cyberattack, the healthcare industry continues to face concerns about reliance on single clearinghouse connections. The outage disrupted claims processing, payments, eligibility transactions, prior authorizations, remittances, and other administrative workflows for providers, hospitals, pharmacies, and health plans, forcing many organizations to rely on manual processes and emergency measures to maintain cash flow. The incident highlighted the risks of concentrating healthcare data through a single clearinghouse. According to the article, some…
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2025 MIPS Performance Feedback and Final Scores Now Available

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CMS has released 2025 MIPS performance feedback and final scores through the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website. The 2025 final score will determine the MIPS payment adjustment applied in 2027, with CMS expected to release information about the 2027 payment adjustments in approximately one month. Clinicians and organizations can sign in to the QPP website using their Health Care Quality Information Systems (HCQIS) Access Roles and Profile (HARP) credentials to review their feedback. After signing in, users can select “View Feedback” and…
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VIVA Health Provider Updates: Telehealth, CCM and Billing Reminders

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VIVA Health has issued several provider updates covering telehealth, chronic care management, prescription costs, behavioral health billing, and provider enrollment. Telehealth benefits include primary and specialty care, mental health and psychiatric services, physical therapy, substance abuse services, and other eligible services, with claims requiring the appropriate procedure code and telehealth modifier along with POS 02 or POS 10. VIVA Health also reminds providers that Chronic Care Management (CCM) services are provided through its VCare program and that provider-submitted CCM…
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CDC Alerts Providers to Increase in Rabies Exposures

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The CDC is reporting a nationwide increase in human exposures to rabid or potentially rabid animals since July 2026, along with an increase in errors involving rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The CDC is reminding clinicians and healthcare facilities to conduct careful rabies risk assessments before administering PEP and to follow ACIP recommendations for the proper administration of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and rabies vaccines when treatment is indicated. Resource: Nationwide Increase in Reported Human Rabies Exposures: Rabies Post-exposure…
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CMS Expands Medicare Options for Chronic Condition Management

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Starting in spring 2027, CMS will expand the ACCESS Model to provide Medicare beneficiaries with technology-supported care options for heart failure, COPD, substance use disorders, and nicotine dependence. The initiative is designed to help people manage chronic conditions and maintain their independence from home, while using a payment approach that ties reimbursement to measurable health outcomes rather than individual services. CMS will maintain a directory of participating organizations and covered conditions to help patients and providers review available options….
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Alabama Hospitals Report Zero CLABSI Rates

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Seven Alabama hospitals were among the 405 hospitals nationwide with a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate of zero in CMS healthcare-associated infection data. The Alabama hospitals recognized were  The CMS data, collected from July 2024 through June 2025, measures CLABSI rates among patients in hospital intensive care units and select wards. The latest data represents an increase from the previous year, when 338 hospitals had a CLABSI rate of zero. Resource: 405 hospitals with the lowest CLABSI…
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