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Every chest CT just became a billable heart screening.
Starting April 1, 2026, CMS is paying hospitals to use AI for detecting heart disease on routine chest scans.
This isn’t just another tech announcement. It’s a fundamental shift in how we think about preventive cardiology.
Here’s what just changed:
Bunkerhill Health secured the first-ever Medicare reimbursement pathway for AI analysis of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and aortic valve calcium (AVC) on chest CTs. Both contrast and non-contrast scans are covered under the new Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System billing codes.
Think about the implications.
Millions of chest CTs are performed annually for lung cancer screening, pneumonia workups, trauma assessments. Each one contains valuable cardiac data we’ve been ignoring.
Now hospitals can:
• Generate new revenue from existing scans
• Automatically flag high-risk patients for cardiology
• Catch heart disease years earlier
• Do it all without ordering additional tests
💡 The game-changer? This creates immediate ROI for AI adoption.
No more pilot program purgatory. No more “interesting but not billable” technology. CMS just gave health systems a clear financial incentive to implement AI cardiovascular screening at scale.
For imaging centers and FQHCs, this opens massive opportunities. You’re sitting on a goldmine of retrospective scans that could identify at-risk patients today.
The technology exists. The FDA clearance is done. The billing pathway is live.
The only question: How fast can you implement?
Because your competitors are already moving. And every unbilled chest CT is money left on the table.
This is how healthcare transformation actually happens. Not through mandates or grand proclamations, but through aligned financial incentives that make doing the right thing profitable.
April 1, 2026 may go down as the day preventive cardiology became a revenue center.
♻️ Repost if routine scans should catch heart disease early
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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.
