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AMGA Responds to CMS CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule
AMGA advocates for stronger Medicare reimbursement reforms to ensure payment stability and support high-value care amid ongoing challenges for physicians.
Alexandria, Virginia — Following the release of CMS' Calendar Year 2026 Physician Fee Schedule final rule, the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) is urging further fortification of Medicare physician reimbursement.
For 2026, the finalized conversion factor will be $33.57 for qualifying alternative payment model (APM) participants and $33.40 for nonqualifying APM participants (ie, physicians and practitioners).
Jerry Penso, MD, MBA | Image Credit: AMGA
The change for 2026 did not come without an increase, but as termed modest by AMGA president and CEO, Jerry Penso, MD, MBA, "The conversion factor increase, driven by a one-time congressional intervention, provides a short-term reprieve, but the underlying erosion of physician payment continues to threaten access to care and the viability of high-value, team-based medicine."
Penso is sounding the alarm on introducing both predictability and stability into Medicare, such as "annual inflation updates, stronger incentives for high-value care, and the alignment of payments with actual practice costs."
To find out more, click here.
AI in Health Care: Balancing Governance, Innovation, and Trust
September 2nd 2025In this conversation with Reuben Daniel, associate vice president of artificial intelligence at UPMC Health Plan, we dive into how UPMC Health Plan builds trust with providers and members, discuss challenges of scaling AI effectively, and hear about concrete examples of AI's positive impact.
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