{
  "id": 19281800,
  "title": "Medicare reimbursement rates for dermatology decline 29%, adjusted for inflation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/medicare-reimbursement-rates-for-dermatology-decline-29-adjusted-for",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-10T04:20:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-medicare-reimbursement-dermatology-decline-adjusted.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a study published in JAMA Dermatology, a University at Buffalo medical student named Joshua Kent, along with co-authors Daniel C. Malone, Larisa J. Geskin and Celine M. Schreidah, found that Medicare reimbursement rates for dermatology procedures have declined by 29% when adjusted for inflation between 2007 and 2026. This substantial drop, even more significant than the 4.8% decrease observed from 2007 to 2021 in a previous analysis, highlights how sharply these rates have fallen recently. Kent, who plans to enter the field of dermatology, was initially aware of the general trend of declining inflation-adjusted Medicare reimbursement across various medical specialties but was surprised by the depth and consistency of the recent declines in dermatology. The researchers used publicly available Medicare reimbursement data to evaluate changes over time, combining economic and clinical perspectives to tackle the issue. The years 2021 to 2026 proved particularly consequential due to a combination of rising consumer prices (20% increase) and a declining Medicare conversion factor, which calculates the reimbursement to clinicians. The study did not establish whether these reimbursement declines have already reduced access to dermatologic care, but it raises concerns about potential future challenges. Kent emphasizes that dermatology relies heavily on procedures, and changes in reimbursement could significantly impact the financial sustainability of providing these services, potentially affecting insurance participation, staffing, and the availability of certain procedures.",
  "summary": "It's not exactly a secret that Medicare reimbursement rates have been declining for years. A University at Buffalo medical student with an interest in health economics who plans to go into dermatology wanted to see how those declines are affecting the specialty he plans to pursue.",
  "key_points": [
    "Medicare reimbursement rates for dermatology procedures declined by 29% adjusted for inflation.",
    "Decline in reimbursement rates is more significant than previous 4.8% decrease from 2007 to 2021."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The rapid erosion of inflation-adjusted Medicare payments threatens the financial stability of procedure-heavy practices and could eventually limit patient access to essential dermatologic services.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}