WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 -- The American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS), Rosemont, Illinois, has issued a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing deep concerns regarding proposed cuts to physician reimbursement in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) for calendar year 2026. AAHKS, which represents over 5,600 orthopedic specialists, criticized what it describes as "arbitrary proposals" that are not grounded in empirical data and could  more ST

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 -- AARP has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing concerns over proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and other payment policies for 2026. The organization, representing over 100 million Americans aged 50 and older, emphasizes the need to improve access to quality care through enhancing support for primary care providers and family caregivers. In its correspondence, AARP highlights the critical importance of p more ST

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 -- The Alliance for Connected Care has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) voicing strong support for continued telehealth access amid growing clinician shortages and an aging Medicare population. In the communication, the Alliance highlights the necessity of technology-enabled care options, particularly for managing patients with multiple chronic conditions or in high-risk post-acute scenarios. Technology has gained imp more ST

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 -- Uttam Tripathy, a cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon at the Houston Methodist Sugar Land, Texas, has expressed strong support for the establishment of appropriate billing mechanisms for intraoperative cryoablation therapy in the upcoming 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Outpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rules. The letter was directed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) highlighting the need for reforms that could significantly enhan more ST

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 -- The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA), Annapolis, Maryland, submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) voicing its apprehensions regarding proposed payment policies for Medicare and Medicaid programs. In the letter, the PPTA outlined how the proposed changes could hinder patient access to vital plasma protein therapies, which are crucial for numerous medical conditions. PPTA, an advocate for plasma donation center more ST

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 -- Rancho Filoso LLC, a Santa Paula, California-based citrus grower, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) expressing strong support for the proposed revision to the U.S. Standards for Grades of Lemons. This initiative, which was published on September 11, 2025, aims to provide a clear definition of "seedless lemons" and implement specific marking requirements, a move that industry leaders are appla more ST

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 -- Rayner Surgical Group, Worthing, England, has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing deep concerns regarding the proposed updates to the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Physician Fee Schedule and the Quality Payment Program (QPP). The organization highlights significant implications for Medicare Part B payment policies, particularly the treatment of non-opioid pain management products within the proposed rules. In its l more ST

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 -- Katie (Olmsted) Peterson, Clinical Director at the Tower Clock Surgery Centers, an organization specializing in ophthalmology services in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing concerns over the current outpatient payment structures. The letter emphasizes the need for policy adjustments to ensure that ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) remain accessible and affordable for Medicare bene more ST

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 -- Valley Health System, Paramus, New Jersey, has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing concerns regarding the proposed rule for the Calendar Year 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). The organization commended CMS for its efforts aimed at modernizing payment systems and enhancing access to services such as telehealth. However, it cautioned that certain proposals could unintentionally undermine reimbursement more ST