Learn More About the New Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

August 4, 2026

PathNET Advocacy Network

CAP raises concerns about proposed federal research changes

Presidential Pathology Scholarship

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the proposed 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

CY 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program Webinar

Transcript

Nick Lanyi 0:01

Make your voice heard by policymakers this August. A call for projects to educate future pathologists. And an upcoming webinar on next year's Medicare physician fee schedule. These stories and more coming up next. This is Path News Network Daily Edition from the College of American Pathologists. I'm Nick Lanyi. It's Tuesday, August 4th. Congress is in recess this month, which means legislators are back home meeting with constituents. The CAP is calling on members to make their voices heard on legislative issues important to pathology. Four ways you can help. Number one, stay connected by signing up for Pathnet, the CAP's grassroots advocacy network. You'll receive the latest advocacy updates and action alerts with everything you need to know if you meet with a senator or house member. Two, bring Congress to you by hosting a lab tour. Inviting policymakers to get a firsthand look at the essential work pathologists do is a proven way to help them understand the specialty's needs. Three, use the CAP Action Center to contact legislators. This year, the CAP is focusing on increasing congressional support for bills related to the physician workforce shortage, Medicare payment reform, local coverage determinations, and more. Four, request an in-district meeting to discuss important issues with representatives or staff. The CEAP advocacy staff can help you schedule and prepare for a meeting. The case affects federal health research grants the administration has suspended or terminated over the past year and a half. The administration is expected to appeal the decision, but it helps to bolster arguments from the CAP and other organizations to continue traditional merit-based research funding that protects independent scientific inquiry and is based on rigorous peer review. The CAP Foundation's Presidential Pathology Scholarship awards $500 to $1,500 each year to pathologists, residents, or medical students for projects that advance the CAP president's stated focus for the year. This year, the focus is on future leaders. The foundation is accepting applications for programs that introduce K-12 learners to the science, technology, and real-world impact of pathology through age-appropriate hands-on experiences, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to career pathways in pathology. For more information, see the CAP Foundation website at foundation.ca.org. And finally, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule last month, doctors around the country immediately wanted to know what it means for them. That includes pathologists. To answer those questions, the CAP has scheduled a webinar on Wednesday, August 12th at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Panelists Dr. Joe Saad, Dr. Ronald McLawhon, and Dr. Gregary Bocsi will provide a comprehensive overview of the proposed changes to Medicare physician fees, which are estimated to result in a 2.42% reduction in pathologist reimbursement next year, as well as the quality payment program, which adjusts the standard Medicare fee based on a range of factors. The webinar will focus especially on surgical pathology reimbursement, which is a special area of concern due to changes CMS is considering. You can also find a detailed description of the changes in the advocacy section of the website. To register for this important webinar, visit CAP.org or use the link in the show notes. That's all for today. See the show notes for more information on today's stories. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it on social media. We'll be back Wednesday at 5 a.m. Eastern for another episode of the Daily Edition. I'm Nick Lanyi. Have a wonderful day.