The conversion factor for the CY 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is projected to remain stable, offering a welcome break from years of fluctuating reimbursement policies.
While this proposal provides some financial relief, STS continues to emphasize that more comprehensive reforms are needed to ensure fair physician compensation and continued access to care for Medicare beneficiaries. Without long-term solutions, hospitals may be forced to scale back or limit cardiothoracic surgery programs, potentially reducing access to innovative and life-saving procedures for patients relying on Medicare.
“The stability in this year’s conversion factor is an encouraging sign, but it’s only the beginning,” said STS President Joseph F. Sabik III, MD. “Structural changes in physician payment are necessary to achieve sustainability that supports our nation’s cardiothoracic surgery workforce and allows patients to continue receiving high-quality, timely care. That’s why STS is actively working with Congress to advance reforms that allow us to better serve our communities.”
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For more information, contact Kathy Cummings, director of communications, at kcummings@sts.org.
Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,800 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.