Gastroenterology practices lose more on second procedures performed in the same visit than any other specialty, according to Jiro Health’s Gastroenterology Practice Economics Benchmark 2026, released Oct. 14.
The Austin, Texas-based company found that 20.7% of paid GI second procedures receive less than 25% of the rate they would earn if billed alone. That share is three times higher than plastic surgery, the next-highest specialty, at 6.8%.
The issue touches most practices: 28.4% of GI visits include two or more procedures. Gastroenterologists typically collect 32% to 38% of a second procedure’s standard rate, and 64.1% of additional same-visit GI work falls under the CMS same-scope rule, which pays only for added work when related endoscopic procedures occur in one session. Many commercial payers follow similar logic, though not uniformly.
The benchmark also flagged a scale gap. Larger independent GI groups post prices 12.5% above small independent practices for comparable work, translating to a paid-claims gap of roughly 8% to 10%. Jiro Health estimates that shortfall at about $5,894 per physician per year, or $17,681 for a three-physician practice, and characterizes those figures as floors.
“A below-market contract rate, an incorrect payment, a denial and a correctly applied payer rule are different problems,” said Greg Field, CEO of Jiro Health. “They call for different responses.”
Matthew Fasullo, DO, an interventional endoscopist on Jiro Health’s Clinician Advisory Board, said the issue “is relevant to every private practice GI group.”
The analysis drew on 2025 medical claims and remittance data plus 2025 and 2026 payer price-transparency data, and covers professional fees only. Jiro Health, a public benefit corporation, builds practice intelligence tools for clinicians.
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