(The Center Square) - New findings published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons contradict the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, claim that surgery times have gotten shorter.

CMS has used the claims to justify a planned cut in reimbursement rates to surgeons.

Lead author Dr. Christopher Childers is an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He spoke with The Center Square about his findings.

“So, they released their proposed rule almost exactly a month ago now for 2026. And one of the things that's been controversial is this kind of new policy that they've proposed called an efficiency adjustment,” Childers said of CMS’s proposed reduction in reimbursement for many physician services, including a

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