TrustMed Solutions LLC

04/16/2026

📰 New Medicare Bill Could Have Bigger Cost Impact Than Expected

Recent analysis shows the latest reconciliation bill may be more costly than initially projected, with estimates reaching $8.8 billion due to changes in Medicare’s drug negotiation program.

These updates could:

• Increase healthcare costs
• Impact access to medications
• Add complexity to billing and reimbursement

💡 Why it matters:

Policy changes like this directly affect how providers bill, get reimbursed, and manage revenue cycles.

Staying ahead of these shifts is key.

If your practice is navigating billing or reimbursement challenges, we’re here to help.

Full Article here: https://www.medicarerights.org/medicare-watch/2025/10/23/reconciliation-bill-more-harmful-and-costly-than-previously-thought

This week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said a provision in the reconciliation bill that widens exemptions from Medicare’s drug negotiation program will cost significantly more than previously thought. The price tag is now $8.8 billion, an 80% increase over CBO’s original $4...

03/24/2026

📰 Understanding Medicare Advantage (Part C): What Providers & Patients Should Know

Medicare Advantage plans continue to grow in popularity — but many providers and patients still don’t fully understand how they work.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

👉 Medicare Advantage (Part C) is an alternative to Original Medicare, offered by private insurance companies. It bundles Part A (hospital), Part B (medical), and often Part D (prescription drug coverage) into one plan.

👉 These plans must cover all medically necessary services that Original Medicare covers — but they often include additional benefits like dental, vision, hearing, and wellness programs.

👉 Unlike Original Medicare, most Medicare Advantage plans have:

- Provider networks (HMO/PPO)
- Prior authorization requirements
- Annual out-of-pocket maximums for better cost predictability

💡 Why this matters for providers:
Billing, authorizations, and reimbursement rules can vary significantly between plans — making accurate verification and workflow processes critical to avoid denials and delays.

💡 Why this matters for patients:
While plans may offer more benefits, they also come with network restrictions and plan-specific rules that impact access and costs.

At the end of the day, success with Medicare Advantage comes down to understanding the details behind the plan — not just the coverage.

Full Article here:https://www.medicare.gov/publications/12026-understanding-medicare-advantage-plans.pdf

03/24/2026

Thanks for being here!

At TrustMed Solutions, we help healthcare practices:

• Reduce billing issues
• Improve collections
• Stay on top of insurance processes

If you’re dealing with claim denials, delayed payments, or billing headaches — you’re not alone.

Feel free to reach out if you ever need help or just have questions.

03/20/2026

🙌 Just hit 640+ followers on LinkedIn — thank you for the support!

We’ve been sharing a lot more insights there around:
• medical billing
• insurance updates
• real-world issues providers face

If you’re interested in that kind of content, feel free to connect with us on LinkedIn as well — we’re a lot more active there.

Appreciate everyone supporting us here on Facebook too — we’re just getting started 💪

03/20/2026

📰 New Bipartisan Bill Aims to Improve Medicare Enrollment

A new bipartisan proposal — the BENES 2.0 Act — would modernize the Medicare enrollment process and help reduce costly mistakes that many beneficiaries face today.

Too often, individuals miss enrollment deadlines due to confusing rules, resulting in permanent late penalties or gaps in coverage. This bill would improve notification systems and provide clearer guidance so people can make informed decisions about their Medicare benefits.

Simplifying enrollment isn’t just administrative reform — it protects both healthcare access and financial stability.

We’ll be watching this closely as it progresses.

Full article: https://www.medicarerights.org/medicare-watch/2025/08/21/new-bipartisan-bill-would-improve-medicare-enrollment

The Medicare Rights Center applauds the recent introduction of the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) 2.0 Act (H.R. 4960) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Led by Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), and Brad Schneider (...

02/27/2026

IRFs get a 2.6% Medicare payment bump for FY 2026

Good news for inpatient rehab: Medicare IRF PPS rates will rise 2.6% in FY 2026 (3.3% market basket minus 0.7% productivity). CMS also finalized technical updates (wage index, case-mix weights) and adjusted the outlier threshold to maintain 3% of total payments. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Why it matters:

-Modest relief for IRFs facing wage inflation and staffing pressure

-Small but positive step for access and sustainability

-Still short of fully offsetting cost growth—watch margins

Source: https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/inpatient-rehab-facilities-get-26-payment-increase

CMS is finalizing its proposal to remove four SDOH standardized patient assessment data elements to reduce burden.

02/06/2026

MGMA warns: 2026 Medicare PFS could deepen the access crunch

The Medical Group Management Association is sounding the alarm on the proposed 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule—arguing years of cuts and small fixes are pushing independent practices to the brink and risking patient access, especially in rural/underserved areas. Even with modest 2026 updates, MGMA says practices still won’t be made whole after prior reductions.

Why it matters for small practices:

- Continuing margin pressure → more consolidation

- Harder to keep doors open for Medicare patients

-Rising overhead with flat (or lower) rates

👉 What reforms would actually stabilize access—indexing updates to practice costs? Multi-year payment floor? Site-neutral parity?

Full Article here: https://healthexec.com/topics/healthcare-management/healthcare-policy/mgma-raises-alarm-over-2026-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-warns-access-crisis

Many make federal reimbursement plans into an issue about high-paid specialists complaining about pay cuts, but these fees also compensate nurses, technicians, support staff and administrators. Payment keeps the doors of brick-and-mortar medical practices open, MGMA warns.

01/30/2026

Big news for rural care: CMS launches a $50B transformation program

CMS has rolled out the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program—a $50 billion investment over five years (FY26–FY30) to strengthen access, workforce, tech, and value-based models in rural communities. States receive annual awards (split evenly + needs-based) and will drive local projects that modernize care delivery.

Why it matters for providers

*Funding starts in 2026 with $10B/year, supporting primary care redesign, digital tools, telehealth/remote monitoring, and operational upgrades.

*All 50 states pursued participation; initial awards were announced late 2025, with state-level implementations kicking off now.

At TrustMed Solutions, we help rural and community practices navigate funding opportunities, align workflows, and keep revenue predictable through change.

Question: If your state receives RHT dollars, what’s your first priority—workforce, tech, or care model redesign?

Full Article here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-launches-landmark-50-billion-rural-health-transformation-program

New Federal Program Aims to Transform Rural Health Care Nationwide

01/21/2026

Medicare 2026: Positive CF Updates—But Mind the Site-of-Service Shift

CMS finalized positive conversion factor updates for 2026: +3.77% for APM QPs and +3.26% for non-QPs. At the same time, an “efficiency” adjustment and practice expense changes shift dollars away from facility settings (~-7%) and toward non-facility/office care (~+4%). Telehealth, MIPS/MVPs, and other policy tweaks also made the cut. Practices should model the net impact—not just the headline CF bump.

At TrustMed Solutions, we help practices translate these rules into clean workflows, accurate coding, and predictable cash flow.

What’s your 2026 strategy—shift site-of-service, optimize coding mix, or lean into APMs?

Read full PDF rule here:https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2026-mpfs-final-rule-summary-analysis.pdf

01/09/2026

$1T is shifting to digital-first, AI-driven care by 2035 — are you ready?

PwC projects that by 2035, $1 trillion/year will move away from brick-and-mortar, admin-heavy models toward virtual, in-home, AI-enabled care. For practices, that means new winners in access, efficiency, and patient loyalty.

What providers can do now

🌟 Digitize front-door ops: online intake, triage, eligibility, scheduling → fewer no-shows & faster collections.

🌟Automate the back office: prior auth, coding edits, denial prevention, and ERA posting to curb leakage.

🌟Measure what matters: access (wait times), quality, cost-to-collect, and patient effort scores.

🌟Build at-home pathways: remote monitoring + virtual follow-ups for chronic care and post-op.

At TrustMed Solutions, we help practices translate this shift into clean claims, faster cash, and a better patient experience.

Read full article here: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/health-tech/2035-1t-healthcare-spend-will-shift-digital-first-ai-driven-healthcare-system-pwc

Growing demand for care and a rapidly aging population could drive U.S. | The healthcare industry is on the brink of a monumental shift where artificial-intelligence-driven, consumer-centric approaches could lead to simplified care models that lower costs and increase care quality, according to PwC....

12/04/2025

H-1B Update: Possible Exemption for Physicians

Reports indicate physicians (including residents) may be exempt from the new $100,000 H-1B visa fee—a carve-out aimed at protecting the U.S. healthcare workforce amid ongoing clinician shortages. If finalized, this could help hospitals and practices maintain access to talent, especially in underserved areas.

Why it matters for practices:

-Staffing stability: Easier recruitment of hard-to-fill roles
-Continuity of care: Less disruption in access for patients
-Planning clarity: Better forecasting for hiring and onboarding

We’ll keep watching this closely and share operational guidance if the exemption is formally adopted.

Read full article here: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/work/doctors-may-be-exempt-from-100000-h-1b-visa-fee-report/articleshow/124052403.cms?from=mdr

The Trump administration's new H-1B visa policy, which introduces a $100,000 fee, might offer exemptions for certain professionals. A White House spokesperson indicated that physicians and medical residents could potentially be excluded from this fee. This development has raised concerns among medic...

11/13/2025

Medicare Advantage: Member Experience is the New Differentiator

Too many MA members enroll, then struggle to use their benefits—leading to missed care, churn, and lower Star Ratings. Plans that move from reactive service to proactive navigation (real-time provider matching, outreach for screenings, care coordination) build confidence, cut avoidable costs, and improve retention.

What we’re watching:

*Proactive engagement → higher Star Ratings & loyalty
*Coordinated scheduling & in-network guidance → fewer costly missteps
*Targeted support for at-risk groups → better equity & outcomes
*Predictive/AI tools → anticipate needs before issues escalate

If you manage MA lives, member navigation isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s a growth and quality lever. Full piece here. https://quantum-health.com/blog/member-experience-in-medicare-advantage/

Millions of Medicare Advantage members enroll in plans with valuable benefits, yet too many struggle to use them effectively.