Outpatient Spine

Medicare improperly paid an estimated $15.2 million for sacroiliac joint injection sessions that did not meet Medicare requirements between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024, according to an Aug. 5 report from HHS’ Office of Inspector General. The OIG…

Health systems and physician-led pain and spine platforms are both acquiring independent spine practices in 2026, and the pace picked up in July. Financial terms were not disclosed in any of the practice transactions below. Here are six deals and…

Motion preservation has gone from a niche concept to one of the biggest shifts in spine surgery. As artificial disc replacement, minimally invasive techniques and other fusion alternatives continue to evolve, a growing group of surgeons is redefining how spine…

Spine and orthopedic malpractice cases produced jury awards and settlements ranging from $750,000 to $27 million over the past year. Here are three cases Becker’s reported on, ordered by amount. Editor’s note: This list is not exhaustive and includes only…

Advances in minimally invasive techniques, robotic technology, motion-preserving procedures and complex spinal reconstruction are transforming spine care. Across the country, orthopedic spine surgeons are driving those advances by improving patient outcomes, advancing clinical research and training the next generation of…

The first lumbar artificial disc replacement at DISC’s newest surgery center did not feel like a first to Philip Saville, MD. He had already performed the procedure in outpatient settings. The operation itself was familiar. What mattered was everything built…

Washington lawmakers advanced the most significant Medicare Advantage prior authorization reform in years this week. But as Congress moves to curb delays and denials for beneficiaries enrolled in private Medicare plans, CMS is simultaneously expanding prior authorization in traditional Medicare…

The next major failure in spine care may not begin in the operating room. It could begin when a patient in a smaller market cannot find a surgeon nearby. It could deepen when an insurer delays imaging, therapy or an…

When Paul McAfee, MD, plans a week of spine surgery, he does not do it at a console in the operating room. He does it on his phone. Every cut, every decompression, every screw trajectory, mapped from a kitchen table…

Spine surgery has historically operated under two sets of economics: one determined by the care delivered and another by the building in which it is delivered. For 2026, Medicare’s ASC conversion factor is $56.322, compared with $91.415 for hospital outpatient…