Medicare Cuts, Patient Consequences: The Real Cost of Reducing Same-Day Care by 50%
Release Date: 09/10/2026
Medicare Cuts, Patient Consequences: The Real Cost of Reducing Same-Day Care by 50%
Voices of Otolaryngology
What happens when Medicare payment policy makes it harder for physicians to provide all the care a patient needs in a single visit? More than 80% of ENTs say a proposed CMS rule could force them to cut Medicare services or stop accepting Medicare entirely. AAO-HNS President Dr. Gene Brown joins CEO Dr. Rahul Shah to discuss the proposed CMS payment reduction for certain same-day services and physicians’ concerns about patients' access to comprehensive, coordinated care. Dr. Brown shares real patient stories showing why same-day care matters—particularly for Medicare beneficiaries who may...
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Sixteen Cases, One Truth: Writing Breathless
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, Tali Lando, MD, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital of Westchester Medical Center and author of Breathless: Surgical Tales from the Brink (and Back), joins host Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, for a candid conversation about writing honestly about medicine. Dr. Lando discusses the 16-case medical memoir's structure, built around both the technical arc of surgery and its personal aftermath, and how surviving Stage IIIC breast cancer as a practicing surgeon shaped her first book, Hell and Back. She covers the HIPAA and...
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Clarity, Originality, Rigor, Effect: The CORE of a Winning Research Grant
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, Matthew L. Bush, MD, PhD, MBA, Chair of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Kentucky and AAO-HNSF Coordinator for Research and Quality, joins host Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, for a candid conversation on research funding and career growth. Dr. Bush shares how the AAO-HNSF CORE Grant Program shaped his own path from first-time recipient to program steward and offers a practical playbook for young investigators—Clarity, Originality, Rigor, and Effect—on what it takes to write a grant that gets funded. Helpful Resources: CORE...
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The 1-in-10 Mindset: Grit, Reinvention, and Seeing Cancer in Real Time
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, Eben L. Rosenthal, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and the Barry and Amy Baker Chair in Laryngeal, Head and Neck Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, joins host Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, for a candid conversation on reinvention, resilience, and discovery. Dr. Rosenthal reflects on building a career across five leading institutions, his "one in ten" philosophy on research and failure, and his pioneering work in fluorescence-guided surgery that lets surgeons see cancer in real time.
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Solo, Strategic, and Satisfied: 25 Years of Independent ENT Practice
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, Rajesh S. Kakani, MD, shares his journey from international training to building a solo private practice in the U.S., offering candid insights for early-career physicians navigating today's consolidating landscape. He covers strategic practice location, calculated risk-taking, hybrid employment models, and the operational discipline needed to thrive independently. Dr. Kakani also reflects on workforce challenges, team culture, and his commitment to funding scholarships for future otolaryngologists.
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Choosing Your First Job, Finding Success and Building a Career
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, Soham Roy, MD, MBA, draws on his experience as a mentor to guide early-career surgeons through one of medicine's most pivotal transitions: moving from training into independent practice. Dr. Roy shares the framework he uses when advising residents, fellows, and early-career physicians: define success on your own terms, understand what truly brings fulfillment, and avoid the pressure to find a "perfect" first job. He also offers pragmatic guidance on evaluating today's evolving practice landscape and stresses the importance of building an expert...
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Social Media and Building Your Voice in Otolaryngology
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, Inna A. Husain, MD, Medical Director of Laryngology at Community Hospital Munster, joins host Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, for a practical and energizing conversation about how physicians can use social media to educate patients, grow their practice, and elevate the specialty. Dr. Husain shares how her platform evolved from a pandemic-era hobby into a referral engine that draws patients from across the country for subspecialty laryngology and LPR care, and why physicians who don't help shape the online medical narrative risk ceding that ground to someone...
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Innovation by Design: Turning Clinical Problems into Real Solutions
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, Peter Santa Maria, MBBS, PhD, discusses his approach to innovation in patient care and how physicians can source ideas and inspiration to chart their own ideation course. Dr. Santa Maria shares his global journey with host Rahul K Shah, MD, MBA, AAO-HNS/F Executive Vice President and CEO. Starting with his childhood in Australia, then to Stanford University, and now in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he balances a busy otology/neurotology practice while managing an innovation lab to continue creating medical devices to improve the lives of his...
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Financial Foundations for Physicians
Voices of Otolaryngology
In this wide-ranging episode of Voices of Otolaryngology, Craig Dell, CPFA, Senior Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management (a Bank of America company), joins host and AAO-HNS/F Executive Vice President and CEO Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, for an in-depth and candid discussion about financial planning for physicians at every career stage. Drawing on decades of experience advising doctors, Craig explains why physicians face unique financial challenges, from delayed earning years and significant education debt to lifestyle inflation and tax complexity. The conversation covers the power of...
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A Spice, a Patent, and a Purpose: One Surgeon's Path to Cancer Prevention
Voices of Otolaryngology
Cherie-Ann O. Nathan, MD, the Jack Pou Endowed Professor and Chair of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport and a founding member of the AAO-HNS Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) Section, discusses her journey in translational research, leading with purpose, and building a career at the intersection of clinical medicine and scientific discovery. Dr. Nathan reflects on the perseverance required to sustain NIH funding, the power of collaboration and team science, and how a curiosity rooted in traditional medicine led to a patented curcumin chewing gum with...
info_outlineWhat happens when Medicare payment policy makes it harder for physicians to provide all the care a patient needs in a single visit?
More than 80% of ENTs say a proposed CMS rule could force them to cut Medicare services or stop accepting Medicare entirely. AAO-HNS President Dr. Gene Brown joins CEO Dr. Rahul Shah to discuss the proposed CMS payment reduction for certain same-day services and physicians’ concerns about patients' access to comprehensive, coordinated care. Dr. Brown shares real patient stories showing why same-day care matters—particularly for Medicare beneficiaries who may need multiple medically necessary services in one visit. “When the system is squeezed, patient access becomes the pressure valve,” Dr. Brown says.
Learn more and take action: https://www.ENTsCareForMedicare.org/