The gastroenterology field saw major legal, political and clinical developments over the past year, with implications for patients, physicians and healthcare organizations.
Here are five notable gastroenterology controversies from 2025, as reported by Becker’s:
1. CMS payment policies spark physician frustration
Gastroenterologists raised concerns about CMS’ finalized physician payment policies, citing fears that the changes will reduce reimbursement and affect care quality. Under the rule, the conversion factor for practitioners participating in a qualified alternative payment model is $33.56, a 3.77% increase. For non-QPM practitioners, the conversion factor is $33.40, a 3.26% increase. Additional adjustments include a 2.5% one-year increase under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and a 0.49% increase tied to finalized changes in work relative value units.
“We are extremely frustrated that CMS chose to forge ahead on a policy that ACG and other stakeholders conveyed is misguided and not based on any data,” Amy Oxentenko, MD, immediate past president of American College of Gastroenterology, told Becker’s. “CMS is choosing speed over quality, which — together with other policies affecting GI services in ASCs and hospital outpatient departments — will significantly impact reimbursement and quality of care.”
2. Florida ASC sued after alleged colonoscopy complication
A patient sued Naples, Fla.-based Premier Endoscopy Center and physician Scott Wiesen, MD, alleging she nearly died during a routine colonoscopy.
Elaine Bredehoft alleges that during a 2023 procedure, Dr. Wiesen punctured her colon and mistakenly removed her ovary and fallopian tube, believing them to be polyps. She said she woke in extreme pain and waited about 30 minutes before an ambulance was called. She was taken to NCH North Hospital, where an emergency physician found internal bleeding and repaired her colon with 52 stitches.
3. Ransomware group claims attack on GI practice
A ransomware group known as Sinobi claimed responsibility for an Aug. 20 cyberattack on Pittsburgh Gastroenterology Associates, saying it accessed internal systems and obtained sensitive patient data.
Officials have not confirmed the scope of the breach, but potentially affected information may include names, contact details, Social Security numbers, insurance data, medical records and payment information.
4. AMA alarms over plan to remove USPSTF members
The American Medical Association voiced “deep concern” about HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to remove all 16 members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
In a July 27 letter, the AMA said the task force plays a critical nonpartisan role in ensuring access to evidence-based preventive services. Sources told The Wall Street Journal that Kennedy views the panel as too “woke,” according to a July 25 report.
The USPSTF has advised the federal government since 1984. Since 2010, it has issued roughly 100 screening and prevention recommendations that insurers must cover with no cost-sharing. The task force has been central to eliminating cost-sharing for colorectal cancer screenings — a move the American College of Gastroenterology says has saved countless lives.
5. NIH withdraws eosinophilic disease research grants
The NIH withdrew renewal grant applications for the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers, prompting patient advocacy groups — including the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology — to call on Congress to reinstate funding.
The decision could halt clinical trials and disrupt care infrastructure for patients living with eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases, advocacy groups said.
“The withdrawal… jeopardizes critical funding for the only clinical care network for eosinophilic gastroenteritis patients in the United States,” Carla Davis, MD, AAAAI president-elect, said.
“Diagnostic and therapeutic research efforts will be halted… and the collapse of this infrastructure will be devastating to our patients.”
