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Medicare might finally pay for AI that catches cancer earlier.
Right now, AI tools that can spot tumors months before human eyes can see them sit unused in hospitals across America.
Why? Medicare won’t pay for them.
But that could change. The bipartisan Health Tech Investment Act, now in Congress, proposes something radical: a 5-year reimbursement pathway for FDA-approved AI diagnostics. 🎯
Think about what this means:
• AI that detects pancreatic cancer 3 years early (Mayo Clinic’s tool)
• Algorithms diagnosing lung nodules in underserved communities with tools like Oatmeal Health that reduces false positives and false negitives
• Breast cancer screening that reduces false positives by 40%
• Heart conditions found on routine ECGs, years before symptoms
These tools exist TODAY. They’re FDA-approved. They work.
But without reimbursement codes, hospitals can’t afford to use them. It’s like having a fire extinguisher you can’t unlock.
The proposed solution is elegant: Give these AI tools temporary payment codes for 5 years. Collect real-world cost and outcome data. Then set permanent rates based on actual value delivered.
Here’s what makes this different from past attempts:
1. Bipartisan support (rare in healthcare)
2. Specific focus on add-on diagnostics
3. Clear 5-year data collection period
4. Addresses the “reimbursement valley of death”
For imaging centers and FQHCs, this changes everything. You could finally justify AI investments with predictable revenue streams.
For patients? Earlier detection saves lives. Period.
The biggest risk? Congress moving too slowly while patients wait.
Every month of delay means missed diagnoses that AI could have caught. We’re literally legislating at the speed of disease progression.
Healthcare executives, here’s your moment: Contact your representatives. Support this bill. Your future capacity to deliver cutting-edge care depends on payment models catching up to technology.
The technology is ready. The evidence is clear. Now we need the political will.
♻️ Repost if Medicare should pay for AI that saves lives
👉 Follow me, Jonathan Govette, for daily, real-time updates on healthcare technology and business news. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathangovette/
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Author:
Jonathan Govette is a seasoned healthcare and technology executive with more than two decades of experience building, scaling, and advising digital health companies. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Oatmeal Health, an AI-driven Lung Cancer Screening and Diagnostics company focused on expanding access to early detection for underrepresented populations, particularly patients served by Federally Qualified Health Centers and value-based health plans.
With a background in engineering, product development, and strategic partnerships, Jonathan has founded and led multiple health technology ventures across clinical care delivery, regulated medical software, and AI-enabled diagnostics. His work sits at the intersection of medicine, technology, and health equity, with a consistent focus on translating complex clinical problems into scalable, real-world solutions.
Jonathan has spent much of his professional life dedicated to improving outcomes for marginalized and underserved communities. He has designed and implemented frameworks that align clinical quality, reimbursement, and technology to sustainably advance health equity at scale. This mission is deeply personal and informs his leadership philosophy and long-term vision for healthcare transformation.
In addition to his operating experience, Jonathan is an author and long-time writer in the healthcare domain, with over 20 years of published work covering digital health, medical innovation, and healthcare systems. He is a frequent mentor to early-stage founders and regularly advises startups on product strategy, partnerships, and go-to-market execution in regulated healthcare environments.
Before entering industry full-time, Jonathan nearly pursued a career in medicine with an early path toward cardiothoracic surgery, an experience that continues to shape his clinical perspective and respect for frontline care delivery.
CEO | Oatmeal Health | AI Lung Cancer Startup | Engineer | Writer | Almost Became a Doctor (Cardiac Thoracic Surgeon) | 3x Health Tech Founder | Startup Mentor | Follow to share what I’ve learned along the way.
