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A 3.26% Medicare boost that’s actually a 2% cut for radiologists?
Yes, you read that right.
CMS just dropped the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, and the math doesn’t add up the way you’d think.
Here’s what’s happening:
📊 The conversion factor jumped to $33.40 (up 3.26%)
📊 Diagnostic radiology: DOWN 2%
📊 Nuclear medicine: DOWN 1%
📊 Interventional radiology: UP 2%
Wait, what?
The culprit: CMS halved facility-based indirect practice expense RVUs compared to non-facility settings. Translation: Your overhead costs just got devalued, and your total RVUs took a hit.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
Interventional radiologists scored big:
• 46 new lower extremity revascularization codes
• Higher reimbursement for drug-coated balloons and stents
• New angiography supply pack approved
Meanwhile, diagnostic radiologists are watching their payments shrink while imaging volumes explode and AI adoption costs mount.
Think about this: We’re asking radiologists to invest millions in AI tools that improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce turnaround times. We’re celebrating earlier cancer detection and reduced false positives.
Yet we’re cutting their reimbursement?
This isn’t just about money. It’s about sustainability.
Smaller imaging centers operating on thin margins can’t absorb these cuts. Rural facilities already struggling to recruit radiologists now have less to offer. And patients in underserved areas? They lose access.
The irony: CMS wants value-based care and better outcomes, but they’re penalizing the specialty that catches disease early and prevents costly complications.
Something has to give.
Either we fund diagnostic imaging properly, or we accept that access will continue declining in communities that need it most.
What do you think happens next?
♻️ Repost if diagnostic imaging deserves fair reimbursement
👉 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.
