Cardiology
(Posted Sept. 29, 2026, on LinkedIn) Devices for closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) have a fascinating history to say the least. These devices have undoubtedly thwarted a large number of strokes in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, but the pharmaceutical industry has moved on from legacy oral
Cardiology
(Posted Sept. 3, 2026, on LinkedIn) Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) are anything but the latest thing in the modern cath lab, but cardiologists seem less than unified in their views of their utility. At one end of the debate is a recommendation for extensive use of
CMS
(Posted May 6, 2026, on LinkedIn) CMS has proposed to terminate the alternative pathway for the new technology add-on payment (NTAP) mechanism, and Judy Rosenbloom and Jo Ellen Slurzberg of JR Associates Inc. told me that the sheer volume of breakthrough devices might be a source of congestion for
CMS
(Posted May 1, 2026, on LinkedIn) The second day of the 2026 MDMA meeting featured a talk by CMS administrator Mehmet Oz. There was some expectation that Oz would have a lot to say about the Regulatory Alignment for Predictable and Immediate Device (RAPID) proposal, but he didn’t say
Medicare
(Published March 11, 2026, on LinkedIn) Clinical diagnostic testing has always been one of the most complex areas of healthcare, but while there are instances of fraud, even conscientious lab operators are stuck with a coding system that is both awkward and prone to abuse, often leaving patients without access