Starting the morning at @renalphysicians.bsky.social Billing & Coding Seminar #RPA2026 @robertblaser.bsky.social #nephsky #nephrology

Folks, I know a lot of people already know about this but the FY2026 appropriations bill included a health package with key provisions for nephrology. Among these provisions was a two-year extension of current telehealth flexibilities (until December 31, 2027 (1)

Good morning people. I know many folks have heard about the new CMS/CMMI ACCESS Payment Model (link below) that seeks to leverage digital and technological assets to help manage and delay the onset of chronic disease. (1) www.cms.gov/priorities/i...

I realize folks have probably heard this elsewhere, but it looks like the shutdown will likely end very soon, if not tonight then tomorrow. The good health policy news is that the telehealth flexibilities will be extended until January 30 and made retroactive back to October 1. (1)

Folks, the final rule for the 2026 Medicare Fee Schedule was released tonight, and it appears to have been finalized almost exactly as it was proposed. (1)

@rpanephrology leaders strategizing about RPA’s Capitol Hill Day tomorrow. Over drinks.

Folks, there is a lot of chatter among nephrology practices about whether the telehealth flexibilities and thus the ability to provide services via those means will end on September 30. (1)

NEPHROLOGY NURSES, YOU ROCK!!! Happy Nephrology Nurses Week to all of the heroes out there providing great care to persons with kidney disease, can't wait to spend time with our friends at the American Nephrology Nurses Association next week. Thanks for everything y'all do!

You know that scene in an action movie when the bad guy runs through the kitchen of a restaurant and pulls down all the pots and pans behind him to slow down his pursuers? We're in that part of the Trump presidency.

Folks, the proposed rule for the 2026 Medicare Fee Schedule came out on Monday, with two primary headlines. The first is that there are now two conversion factors (CFs--with the conversion factor being the multiplier expressed as a dollar figure through which physician (1)

I’m gonna post this every day so nobody forgets exactly who Pedophile Trump is and why the Epstein files have suddenly disappeared.

The proposed rule for the 2026 ESRD prospective Payment System came out Monday evening, and it contained few surprises, highlights include: For CY 2026, CMS proposes to increase the PPS base rate to $281.06, which CMS expects would increase total payments to all ESRD facilities by 1.9%. (1)

So folks, the proposed rule for the 2026 Medicare Fee Schedule is still at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), so the usual pre-July 4th holiday release would seem to be in doubt (although it has happened late on July 3rd numerous times).

When you think about this, it's actually crazy. A snap of a finger.

Inflation was not the fault of Biden policies, it was declining w/the economy better here than any other globally. Unemployment was low, wages for the lowest earning employees rising. Where was the “objective” media’s effort to set voters straight?

It’s a wrap!! RPA 2025 Annual Meeting was one for the books. Thanks to everyone who attended. Looking forward to 2026 in Atlanta!! #rpa2025

The RPA leadership brain trust, plus me, with Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV) at the RPA PAC Reception as part of our Annual Meeting.

The Government Affairs Committee is the hot ticket. One of the biggest and most important things RPA does is policy advocacy for Nephrologists. @renalphysicians.bsky.social #nephsky @robertblaser.bsky.social

What does RPA membership get you? How about some of the best Coding and Billing information out there. The rockstar team of Amanda Crouch , Shaun Conlon , and @robertblaser.bsky.social is playing to a full house (200+) this morning. #RPA25 @renalphysicians.bsky.social #nephrology #nephsky

Just got done introducing the speakers at the RPA Coding and Billing Seminar, one of the critically important activities that RPA performs. #RPA2025

The Medicare telehealth flexabilities have been extended until September- but we need a permanent fix. Encourage your senators and reps to make the telehealth flexabilities permanent. @schatz.bsky.social @repjasmine.bsky.social @aoc.bsky.social #nephsky #telehealth

Your gift to the ASPN Foundation helps to support travel grants for trainees to help recruit and retain pediatric nephrologists! Your gift will be matched by ASPN Foundation Board Member Sharon Lagas up to a total of $2500 during National Kidney Month. aspneph.app.neoncrm.com/forms/alport...

Elon Musk's Cruella de Vil of a mother has encouraged him to sue a journalist who referenced his Nazi salute at Trump's inauguration. Threatening to sue journalists when they report your bad acts is designed to make them scared to criticize you. Musk is only for free speech when it serves him.

Unless they attack cops while trying to overturn an election

The RPA Board of Directors doing what it does best, having a great time.

Removing DEI from study and trial participant selection is tremendously detrimental to the vast majority of patients - who (shocker) are not white males. #shockednotshocked #DEI

THIS! 100% this…

Hail, HTTC, all of it! Sorry for my friends in Detroit (sincerely, no snark) but you don’t know what’s going to happen until you play the game.

Kevin Burkhart (announcing my grocery store trip): There's the milk, there's some bread, and wow, he's going for the ice cream! Tom Brady: The supermarket is a place where fresh and pre-packaged food is sold for consumption by humans.

Hail

Corporations give money to Trump because they, like him, only care about themselves.

Hail

The GOP is really working really hard to prevent the evidence of Trump’s innocence from being released.

Holiday baked manicotti. Yes, please.

Incredibly disheartening that the House adjourned cutting physician pay 2.8% while preserving untold profits for pharmacy benefit managers. This will limit access to care for #Medicare beneficiaries. The original funding bill addressed both of these issues.

My retirement planner recommended I join a doomsday cult.

I'm going to post this video every day so we never forget

You still have people saying, "I don't see any evidence that Musk is a neo-Nazi." And it's like, I can't know what's in his heart, but he follows them on Twitter, retweets them, promotes their conspiracy theories, parrots their rhetoric, and now recommends their party for Germany. But who knows?

the feds: stop trying to turn this guy into some cool antihero with a badass public image also the feds: *treat him like they’ve captured the joker*

you knew who you are

The fact that I know more about Fani Willis’ and Nathan Wade’s relationship than I do about the crimes committed by Ginni Thomas and Clarence Thomas shows exactly what is terribly wrong with today’s political mainstream media.

Do what Adonia says to do! I do!

Early holiday gift from one Dr. Robert Kossmann, a kidney cowboy baseball hat, look closely at the second pic, the cowboy is in fact a kidney. Great stuff, Rob’s the man. #Nephsky

This hits close to home

the frenzy over the hunter biden pardon is a good reminder that the press knows how to make something a scandal and has decided that nothing trump does is truly deserving of that treatment

Turkey carcass gumbo. This worked.