SmartOps Health🗼
The Beacon Blog

Beacon watches CMS so you don't have to. Practical guidance on Medicare, billing codes, value-based care, and care management for independent, office-based practices.

Value-based care
Why Your ACO Is Leaving Quality Bonuses on the Table

Most missed ACO quality dollars are not clinical failures. They are operational ones. Here is where ACO care gap closure breaks down and how to fix it.

November 2, 2026 · Read →
Value-based care
CMS Wants to Grow ACOs. What the 2027 Proposals Would Do.

The CY2027 proposed rule would add a 32% payment increase on E/M visits for clinicians in Shared Savings Program and LEAD ACOs. Here is what it could mean for your practice.

July 20, 2026 · Read →
Practice growth
What Happens After a Patient Asks ChatGPT?

Patients research their health with AI the way they have Googled for years. The opportunity is connecting that moment to their care team. Here is how.

July 17, 2026 · Read →
Medicare updates
The Proposed 2027 RPM Rule: What It Would Mean for Your Practice

CMS has proposed that Medicare would pay for remote patient monitoring only when the clinical staff doing the work are direct employees of the billing practice. Here is what the proposal says and how to prepare.

July 16, 2026 · Read →
Medicare updates
Preparing for the Rest of 2026 and 2027: What Every Practice Should Know

The key Medicare payment and program changes through 2026 and 2027, and a practical plan for independent practices to capture the upside and stay compliant.

July 16, 2026 · Read →
Medicare updates
The 2026 Medicare Shift: Office Practices Just Got a Raise

The 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule moved practice expense payment from facility settings toward the office. Here is what changed and how independent practices can use it.

July 15, 2026 · Read →
Billing & coding
G2211: The Medicare Money Most Practices Still Miss

The G2211 visit-complexity add-on is billable today, and CMS has proposed making it worth more in 2027. Here is what it is, who can bill it, and why practices miss it.

July 15, 2026 · Read →
Billing & coding
APCM vs CCM in 2026: Which Should Your Practice Bill?

APCM and CCM both pay for care management, but they work very differently. Here is how to choose the right one for your independent practice in 2026.

July 15, 2026 · Read →
Beacon Weekly
What CMS changed this week

One short email on Tuesdays for independent primary care and cardiology practices. What changed, what it means for you, and the one thing to do about it. Every item is checked against the CMS source.

Unsubscribe in one click, any time. We never share your address.