CMS proposed payment cuts to physicians who perform procedures in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) and the hospital outpatient department (HOPD) for 2026. The proposals could cost GIs performing endoscopy in those settings a collective $58 million. Here’s how the finalized proposals could impact practices.
Author: Abhay Panchal
AGA’s new web portal helps you navigate payor-imposed challenges that interfere with timely, evidence-based IBD care. IBD physicians and APPs, who know how to get treatments approved quickly by insurers, designed AGA’s suite of tools that help to minimize treatment disruptions, streamline documentation, and strengthen appeal submissions.
Exact Sciences has signed an exclusive licensing deal with Freenome for current and future blood-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening tests, adding a complementary option to its Cologuard portfolio. Freenome’s first-version test, recently submitted to the FDA, showed 81% CRC sensitivity and 14% advanced precancerous lesion sensitivity at 90% specificity in the PREEMPT study. The agreement includes up to $775M in payments tied to regulatory and performance milestones, plus royalties, with Exact committing $20M annually for joint R&D over three years. Leaders say the partnership could help close the screening gap for over 50 million unscreened Americans.
GI leaders Harish K. Gagneja, Judy Currier, Amy S. Oxentenko, Sita S. Chokhavatia, and Vladimir M. Kushnir spotlight urgent priorities for the field—from tackling severe workforce shortages and closing access gaps, to addressing rising GI cancer rates in young adults. Rural and underserved communities face the greatest disparities, compounded by administrative burdens and reimbursement challenges. They point to AI as a game-changer in enhancing polyp detection, streamlining documentation, and enabling precision medicine, alongside minimally invasive endoscopic procedures and new obesity interventions poised to transform care. All call for unified action to expand equitable colorectal cancer screening, improve workforce capacity, and…
In a recent commentary, Dr. David Johnson highlights two accessible interventions—exercise and aspirin—that could significantly lower colorectal cancer recurrence risk. The CHALLENGE trial found that adding just 45–60 minutes of brisk walking (or similar activity) three to four times a week after chemotherapy cut recurrence, new cancer, or death risk by 28% over nearly eight years. Separately, the ALASCCA trial showed that for patients with PIK3CA-mutated colorectal cancer, daily low-dose aspirin reduced recurrence risk by nearly 50% at three years, with minimal side effects.
A new Biomedicines study finds that practicing gastroenterologists perform only slightly better than chance when distinguishing real from AI-generated colonoscopy images. In tests with 32 physicians reviewing real, augmented, and fully synthetic polyp images, overall accuracy was just 61.2%, with no significant difference between residents and senior doctors. While all CycleGAN-generated images were flagged as synthetic, diffusion-generated ones fooled experts nearly 80% of the time—raising concerns about the need for automated authenticity safeguards.
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and healthcare innovation hub MATTER have opened applications for the first-ever AGA Incubator: Improving GI Care, a six-month virtual program designed to accelerate startups in gastroenterology and hepatology. Ten selected companies will receive monthly workshops, mentorship from an executive-in-residence, and access to MATTER’s network, culminating in a live pitch event at Digestive Disease Week® 2026 in Chicago. Participants will also have a chance to secure investment from the AGA GI Opportunity Fund. Applications close September 21, 2025.
A groundbreaking UCLA-led study is casting light on a quiet but crucial problem: while blood-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening tests are revolutionizing early detection, the next step—follow-up colonoscopy—may be falling through the cracks. 📊 The Numbers Raise Eyebrows: Out of over 6,000 adults screened using Guardant Health’s Shield test, only 49% completed a follow-up colonoscopy within six months of an abnormal result. Even after two full years, only 56% had done so—leaving nearly half of potential CRC cases unconfirmed and untreated.🧠 Why It Matters: Blood-based tests are being hailed as a game-changer for CRC screening—more convenient, non-invasive, and potentially more…
The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) is sounding the alarm: proposed changes to the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule could shake up reimbursement models for gastroenterologists—especially those performing procedures in ASCs and hospital outpatient departments. CMS is planning: 📉 The Impact?
Healio has revealed its highly anticipated nominees for the 2025 Disruptive Innovators Awards in gastroenterology and hepatology. These awards celebrate bold individuals who are redefining the field—whether through clinical innovation, equity advocacy, digital influence, or trailblazing leadership.Unveiled during a special video event, the nominations span nine categories, from Lifetime Disruptor to The Patient Voice. Names behind major GI movements like Women in Endoscopy, Scrubs & Heels, and the Rome Foundation are in the spotlight. Winners will be selected by the GI community and honored at a live ceremony during the ACG Annual Meeting in Phoenix this October.