Improved payments for OBLs & ASCs | Boston Scientific to acquire Penumbra | Medtronic’s diabetes spin-off files for IPO

CMS has made it a priority to increase payments for procedures performed by office-based labs and ambulatory surgical centers. This was reflected in policy changes made as part of the 2026 Medicare Physicians Fee Schedule.

This is a cash and stock transaction that values Penumbra at $374 per share. The move helps Boston Scientific expand its vascular and neurovascular portfolios, gaining new treatments for pulmonary embolism, stroke, deep vein thrombosis and many other critical cardiovascular conditions. 

The device at the heart of this transaction is the PerQseal Elite system, a fully bioabsorbable patch for percutaneous vessel closure. The technology has already gained key approvals in Europe. 

The FTC argued that the $945M deal, first announced in 2024, was "anticompetitive." A federal judge agreed. 

Florida-based Cardiovascular Associates of America, one of the largest private equity-backed cardiology management groups in the United States, just got a little bigger.

Conformal Medical developed its CLAAS technology to help patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation reduce their risk of stroke without the use of anticoagulants. Back in August, the company raised $32 million to help ramp up research on the device.

Make way for MiniMed! Medtronic's diabetes division has filed the necessary paperwork to go public. The company hopes to be traded on Nasdaq under the symbol MMED.

A growing number of private insurers are now covering these advanced technologies. Roosha Parikh, MD, told Cardiovascular Business that the hard work of SCCT and other groups has helped make this happen.