Breaking: Medicare payments to doctors paused as government shutdown drags on

Physicians should get paid for most claims once health care programs are renewed by Congress.

Log In    Subscribe BREAKING NEWS   Medicare payments to doctors paused as government shutdown drags on By Daniel Payne and Tara Bannow Adobe CMS is pausing Medicare payments to doctors, as negotiations tied to the government shutdown drag on. The agency announced the pause in a notice on its website but didn't say when it would end.   It's happening because Congress needs to reauthorize certain Medicare payment programs related to telehealth and rural providers, and that reauthorization has gotten wrapped up in the overall deal to reopen the government.    It's not clear why all physician payments are being cut off rather than just the programs that need to be renewed. CMS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. READ MORE Sign up for Health Care Inc. Unpacking the business — and secretive inner workings — of the U.S. health care industry. Learn more. In Case You Missed It 1   Medicare Advantage insurers still in retreat as annual enrollment kicks off By Tara Bannow 2   Hospitals get dinged for reporting too many infections. In some cases, the solution is not to test By Tara Bannow 3   Home hospital programs in 'terror' as they grind to halt ahead of government shutdown By Mario Aguilar 4   Opinion: Stop overloading older adults with Medicare plan choices By Wändi Bruine de Bruin and Jonathan Blum Don't miss out on another STAT investigation Unlock the world of health and medicine with a subscription to STAT+ Learn more STAT, 1 Exchange Place, Boston, MA ©2025, All Rights Reserved. I no longer wish to receive STAT emails Update Newsletter Preferences • Contact Us • Advertise with Us