Trends in Medicare Reimbursement and Service Volume of Vitreoretinal Procedures: 2000 to 2021

On this episode of the JVRD Author’s Forum podcast, Dr. Ron Adelman, consultant and chair of ophthalmology at Mayo Clinic, Florida, discusses ‘Trends in Medicare Reimbursement and Service Volume of Vitreoretinal Procedures: 2000 to 2021,’ published in the January/February 2025 issue of JVRD.

Host Dr. Timothy Murray and Dr. Adelman examine more than two decades of Medicare reimbursement trends for vitreoretinal procedures. Drawing from a comprehensive 21-year analysis, they discuss how increasing procedure volumes—especially intravitreal injections—have coincided with significant declines in inflation-adjusted reimbursements. Dr. Adelman explains how treatment advances, such as intravitreal injections for diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), have led to decreased use of more invasive procedures, such as cryotherapy and laser, significantly altering the balance of in-office treatments and surgical procedures. He also highlights the growing challenges in accessing operating rooms and the broader implications of diminishing reimbursement for patient care and physician recruitment in the field. 

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Welcome to ASRS’s Journal of Vitreoretinal Diseases (JVRD) Author’s Forum. JVRD is the official scientific peer-reviewed journal of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), offering the highest quality and most impactful research and clinical information in the field. Join host Dr. Timothy Murray, Editor-in-Chief for JVRD as he discusses cutting-edge developments featured in JVRD with the lead authors who share clinical pearls and explore their significance for advancing patient care.