Medicare reimbursements have fallen by 29% for cardiology, with even greater declines for cardiac and thoracic surgery, a recent study found.
The study, published April 26 in INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, used aggregated data for 100% of Medicare Part B claims from 2005 to 2021. Researchers computed the percentage change in reimbursement per beneficiary, nominal and inflation-adjusted, by specialty.
Overall, reimbursement per beneficiary decreased by 2.3% for physicians, and the change ranged by specialty from -36.1% for cardiac surgery to +1,106% for nurse practitioners.
Of 16 healthcare specialties, the study included three within heart care, all with drops in reimbursement rates:
Cardiology: -29%
Thoracic surgery: -41.5%
Cardiac surgery: -57.6%