CMS finalized its 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, reducing reimbursement for many cardiology procedures performed in hospital settings.
Beginning in 2026, Medicare will reduce the portion of hospital payments that covers indirect practice costs by 50%, resulting in about a 10% cut to total payment values for procedures like pacemaker implants, ablations, PCI and TAVR. CMS is also applying a 2.5% efficiency cut to most non-time-based services, according to an Oct. 31 American College of Cardiology news release.
For left atrial appendage closure, CMS lowered the work RVU to 10.25, down from 14.00. Cardiology societies plan to resubmit data in hopes of reversing the cut.
Despite these changes, overall cardiology payments are projected to rise 1%. The 2026 conversion factor will be $33.5675 for APM participants and $33.4009 for others — up 3.77% and 3.26% from 2025.
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