ACP use grows, but its trajectory has slowed in recent years

Why This Topic Matters

Advance care planning is a recurring Medicare billing topic, and shifts in utilization and denials can affect coding workflow, reimbursement oversight, and specialty-level performance monitoring. The article helps readers understand whether adoption is still expanding, where billing activity is concentrated, and how claims outcomes have evolved over time.

Article Sections

1. Benchmark of the week

   Introduces the article’s Medicare claims trend snapshot and frames the overall topic of advance care planning utilization.

2. Utilization and denial trends, 2016-2024

   Summarizes multi-year claims activity and denial-rate movement for the advance care planning services discussed in the article.

3. Specialty mix and provider patterns

   Describes the types of providers responsible for most claims and the general distribution of billing activity across specialties.