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CMS finalizes 2027 fee schedule cut and remote monitoring limits; review of 189 trials weighs frozen shoulder treatments
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the 2027 physician fee schedule on Nov. 4, cutting the conversion factor 2.31% for clinicians not in qualifying alternative payment models. The rule limits remote therapeutic monitoring to established patients. A BMJ network meta-analysis of 189 trials found moderate-certainty evidence that shockwave therapy probably reduces short-term frozen shoulder pain.
THE DETAILS
- Payment Nov 4, 2026The calendar year 2027 physician fee schedule final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sets the conversion factor at $32.63, a projected 2.31% decrease, for clinicians not in qualifying alternative payment models. CMS finalized limits on remote therapeutic monitoring, restricting it to established patients and requiring a separately reportable initiating visit, and delayed until Jan. 1, 2029, a requirement that the clinical staff performing it be employed by the practice. CMS said it received comments on whether the facility and nonfacility payment differential is still appropriate and will consider them for future rulemaking.Sources: CMS fact sheet, American Hospital Association
- Research Nov 4, 2026The systematic review and network meta-analysis in The BMJ pooled 189 randomized trials with 12,988 participants and 59 interventions for adhesive capsulitis. Moderate-certainty evidence showed extracorporeal shockwave therapy probably reduced short-term pain compared with usual care (mean difference -1.97 on a 0 to 10 scale), and low-certainty evidence suggested it may improve function. Manipulation under anesthesia combined with intra-articular steroid injection probably improved short-term flexion (mean difference 33.29 degrees), and the authors said the absence of reported adverse events should not be interpreted as evidence of absence of harm.
- Payment Nov 4, 2026The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized its 2027 home health payment rule Nov. 4, which CMS estimates will raise aggregate Medicare payments to home health agencies 2.4%, or $415 million, according to Home Health Care News. The rule includes a temporary 3% downward adjustment to the national standardized payment rate, the outlet said. CMS said the rule recalibrates the case-mix weights, updates functional impairment levels and changes the Home Health Quality Reporting Program.Sources: CMS, Home Health Care News
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