Part B News | Editors' Blog

Commenters target 'disastrous' modifier 25 proposal that would slash fees by 50%

by: Richard Scott Sep 2, 2026

CMS wants to diminish payments for claims submitted with modifier 25 by 50% in some cases, and providers and others in the medical practice community are not pleased.

The fee cut, which "undermines patient-centered care," would be "disastrous," according to public comments shared with CMS in response to the proposed 2027 Medicare physician fee schedule.

Q&A: Overcoming ortho coding pain points

by: Laura Evans, CPC Aug 31, 2026

For orthopedic coders, questions around arthroplasties and joint fusions can prove challenging. Dig into the following questions and answers that were presented during the 2025 virtual Advanced Specialty Coding Summit: Orthopedics to gain clear guidance.

And don’t miss out on the upcoming 2026 virtual Advanced Specialty Coding Summit: Orthopedics taking place Nov. 10-12 to discover the ins and outs of orthopedic coding – and clear up your musculoskeletal coding questions.

How to comment on the proposed 2027 Medicare physician fee schedule

by: Julia Kyles, CPC Aug 14, 2026

You have one month to submit your thoughts or questions about the proposed 2027 Medicare physician fee schedule to CMS.

Q&A: Level E/M encounters like an expert

by: Richard Scott Jul 27, 2026

E/M coding is one of the core elements of the medical practice revenue cycle process. Whether medical decision-making or time-based rules apply, it’s vital that practices, from physicians to coders, are fully up to speed.

Breaking: Conversion factor dips as CMS proposes cuts, floats major coding updates

by: DecisionHealth staff Jul 14, 2026

Brace for impact: CMS announced a reduction to physician fees for CY 2027 that would, in aggregate, lower professional fees across services in 2027. The conversion factor (CF), one of CMS’ primary ratesetting mechanisms, would drop between 1% and 2% depending on the professional fee setting.

CMS also announced in the proposed 2027 Medicare physician fee schedule, released today, that it may seek an alternative method of calculating fees in a repudiation of the AMA’s valuation system. In fact, the agency questions whether it should move away from the CPT code set entirely. Also, CMS is eyeing a revamped system for primary care payments and is teasing new codes that are set to come online next year.

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