2026 Payment Shifts: A Raise… and a Cut? Plus, Is Downcoding Coming for a Bill Near You?

Summary: In 2026, stomach and digestive doctors (gastroenterologists) are facing a confusing mix of pay raises and pay cuts. On the bright side, Medicare is increasing its base payment rate by about 3.26% for the first time in five years. However, there is a catch: Medicare is also cutting payments for procedures like endoscopies by 2.5%. Their reason? They claim doctors are getting "too efficient" and finishing work faster, so they should be paid less for it.

Additionally, where a doctor works matters more than ever. Payments for services done in an office are going up, while payments for the same work done in a hospital or surgery center are going down. To make matters trickier, private insurance companies are auditing doctors more aggressively, trying to lower the payment levels for complex office visits. The American College of Gastroenterology is urging doctors to check their billing records and contact Congress to support a new bill (H.R. 7520) that could pause these cuts.

For more details, see American College of Gastroenterology at gi.org/2026/02/27/2026-payment-shifts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2026-payment-shifts (opens in new tab)