A proposed rule could dramatically expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists like Wegovy and Zepbound, making these costly weight loss drugs more accessible. If finalized, the rule could grant 3.4 million Medicare and 4 million Medicaid recipients access to obesity medications, pressuring private insurers to follow suit—just as they did after Medicare covered bariatric surgery in 2006.
Author: Abhay Panchal
The definition and significance of tumor deposits (TDs) have evolved over the years. An estimated 20% of patients with colon cancer have TDs,1 and previous studies have established the presence of TDs as a poor prognostic factor, particularly among patients with stage III colon cancer.2,3 However, in the current American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)/tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) staging system, the presence of TDs only impacts staging if no lymph nodes (LNs) are positive, and then, there is only 1 designation: N1c. When LN metastases are present, TDs are not acknowledged within the classification system at all.
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has released an expert review highlighting immune-mediated and infectious causes of esophageal dysfunction, which extend far beyond GERD. Published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the clinical practice update provides 10 best practice advice statements to help clinicians identify and treat conditions like eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), Crohn’s disease, and esophageal infections (Candida, HSV, CMV).
New research from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) reveals that seven of the eight largest healthcare bankruptcies in 2024 were tied to private equity ownership. While private equity-backed firms made up 11% of all U.S. corporate bankruptcies, they accounted for 21% of healthcare bankruptcies, a figure unchanged from 2023 despite fewer overall healthcare failures.
Despite CMS’s goal for full Medicare and most Medicaid participation in accountable care by 2030, less than half of primary care physicians are joining value-based payment models. Financial constraints, workforce shortages, and excessive documentation remain significant barriers. Fee-for-service still dominates, and small practices lack resources to transition. Physicians support the concept but struggle with implementation, citing unpredictable reimbursement, limited institutional support, and overwhelming quality metrics.
Gastrointestinal endoscopy is advancing with probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE), achieving 100% sensitivity in adenocarcinoma detection (Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery). Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols cut hospital stays by 30% and boost patient satisfaction to 90% (Journal of Colorectal Surgery). To combat hypoxemia in sedated procedures, nasal clips with nasal cannulas have reduced cases from 25% to 17.7% (BMC Anesthesiology). These innovations are setting new standards in diagnostics, recovery, and patient safety—reshaping GI care.
While colonoscopy remains the gold standard for colorectal cancer prevention, patient reluctance often stems from the dreaded bowel prep rather than the procedure itself. Dr. Michael Bass, Founding Medical Director of Oshi Health, highlights a promising breakthrough from EndoInnovate, which is developing a staining bowel prep to make polyps more visible.
In an innovative push to break the stigma around colorectal cancer and encourage early detection, Fondation Digestive and LG2 have launched the ‘Scanitary Paper’ campaign—a toilet paper embedded with a QR code that directs users to Clic Santé to book a stool screening test. This clever initiative, timed for National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month (March 2025), targets people in the most relevant setting: the bathroom. With 90% of colorectal cancers being curable if detected early, this simple yet effective call to action could save lives.
The field of gastroenterology is bracing for a worsening physician shortage, with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projecting a deficit of 1,390 full-time gastroenterologists by 2037. This alarming trend is fueled by rising patient demand, an aging GI workforce, and burnout-driven attrition, particularly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As nearly half of practicing gastroenterologists are over 55, impending retirements threaten to widen the gap, while GI fellowships struggle to replenish the workforce.
For decades, bioengineers have struggled to design biological systems with the precision of evolution, but Evo 2, a groundbreaking AI model for genomics developed by Arc Institute and NVIDIA, is changing that paradigm. Trained on 9.3 trillion nucleotides across 128,000 species, Evo 2 can predict pathogenic mutations, generate synthetic genomes, and design gene circuits with precision beyond human capabilities. Its unprecedented context window allows it to interpret long-range genetic interactions, addressing one of the biggest challenges in genomics. The model’s potential applications range from custom gene therapies to disease prediction, but its open-source nature also raises ethical concerns about biosecurity.