Several important motility coding changes are set to take effect January 1, 2026, reshaping how key neurogastroenterology procedures are billed across outpatient settings. Most notably, EndoFLIP™ will now be billable in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) after years of advocacy from GI societies—opening the door to broader procedural flexibility. At the same time, long-standing CPT codes for anorectal manometry and barostat are being retired, replaced with new, clearly separated Category I codes intended to eliminate historical billing confusion and duplicate reporting. The update also introduces a new permanent CPT code for IB-Stim®, transitioning the therapy out of temporary “new technology”…
Author: Abhay Panchal
The AGA released a living guideline for moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease (published in Gastroenterology, Dec 2025) that pushes clinicians toward earlier use of high-efficacy “advanced” therapies (biologics/small molecules) rather than waiting through insurance-driven step therapy. Key takeaways:
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the final 2025 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility determinations, updated with Medicare Part B claims and Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) data through Sept. 30, 2025. All clinicians are encouraged to verify their status using the QPP Participation Status Tool, as eligibility may have changed, particularly for those who joined a new practice within the past year. Updates to rural special status are also expected by the end of December.
Congress is running out of time to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of December. A Senate vote to extend the subsidies failed, and a Republican alternative plan also didn’t gain enough support. Without action, millions of Americans could face sharply higher insurance premiums or lose coverage altogether, with KFF projecting average premium increases of 114%. Hospitals and health leaders warn that the lapse would force families to make difficult financial decisions, delay care, or drop insurance, increasing uncompensated care burdens on health systems. While there are some bipartisan efforts…
Ambient AI scribes are being adopted at an unprecedented pace across U.S. health systems, with clinicians embracing the technology as a direct antidote to documentation burden and burnout, according to new reporting from Healio. Early real-world data show meaningful reductions in after-hours EHR work, measurable drops in burnout rates, and growing patient satisfaction as physicians reclaim face-to-face time. But alongside rapid uptake, unresolved issues remain — including consent, data retention, liability, and AI errors — raising questions about governance as ambient listening tools move from pilot projects to core clinical infrastructure.
New York Gastroenterology Associates, one of the city’s largest independent GI practices, is moving pathology fully into the digital era by adopting Proscia’s AI-enabled Concentriq platform. The shift replaces traditional microscope workflows with high-resolution, data-rich digital slides—speeding diagnoses, supporting pathologists, and opening the door to AI-driven insights in GI diseases like cancer. Beyond day-to-day efficiency, the move positions NYGA to collaborate more closely with life sciences and pharma partners as precision medicine and digital pathology converge. Why this matters: GI practices are no longer just care delivery hubs—they’re becoming data and research engines. NYGA’s bet signals where pathology, AI, and…
Researchers at Harvard have identified how colibactin — a toxin produced by certain gut bacteria — directly damages human DNA in ways long associated with colorectal cancer, according to a new study published in Science. The work, led by Emily Balskus and Victoria D’Souza, shows that colibactin creates rare and highly toxic DNA inter-strand cross-links, binding both strands of the DNA double helix together. These lesions disrupt normal DNA replication and repair, increasing the likelihood of mutations that can drive cancer development. Using living bacteria to generate the unstable toxin in real time, the team demonstrated that colibactin preferentially targets…
Multi-cancer early detection blood tests, designed to identify cancer signals from a single blood draw, are rapidly gaining interest from patients, employers, and health systems — despite the fact that none are yet approved by U.S. regulators. In a detailed examination, The New York Times reports that demand is accelerating even as physicians and researchers remain uncertain about how these tests should be used, interpreted, or paid for. The most prominent test, Galleri, has now been prescribed more than 420,000 times, according to its manufacturer, GRAIL, which plans to seek FDA approval in 2026. Proponents argue these tests could help…
In a recent ASGE blog, Harish Gagneja, MD of Austin Gastroenterology, examines whether private equity partnerships can truly support the long-term sustainability of independent medical practices. He explores why specialty groups are increasingly attractive to investors, the operational lift PE can provide, and the risks of short-term financial incentives—arguing that durable partnerships depend on physician-led governance, transparency, and alignment around patient care rather than rapid exits.
The U.S. gastroenterologist shortage is no longer a temporary staffing problem—it’s a structural crisis decades in the making. Fewer trainees entering the field, frozen Medicare funding for fellowships, early retirements, and soaring demand for procedures like colonoscopy and ERCP have created a widening annual deficit, driving salaries, locum costs, and hospital strain to historic highs. The warning is stark: for many health systems, the only thing costlier than hiring a gastroenterologist is not having one at all.