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Radiologists tout support for bipartisan bill to address interventional ‘payment crisis’

The Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act seeks to smooth out reimbursement differences between office- and hospital-based settings.

US congressman helps secure $750,000 for rural hospital’s radiology expansion

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, announced the news on June 10, with the money going toward Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg.

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RadNet secures $250M new loan, gets downgrade from Moody’s

The ratings agency contends RadNet is constrained by its geographic concentration in 11 states and high fixed costs, including sizable interest expenses.

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House committee votes unanimously to block AI-enabled Medicare prior authorizations

A pilot program to use artificial intelligence to approve or deny traditional Medicare claims is currently active in six states. If successful, an amendment from the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee would block its expansion.

Florida residents charged in Medicare fraud conspiracy said to involve 6,000 beneficiaries

The grand jury indicted two individuals for their alleged roles in a scheme to steal data on Medicare patients and re-sell that information for a premium to nefarious actors for the purpose of siphoning funds from the program. One of the individuals is accused of photographing patient records to obtain names, dates of birth and other personal information.

Portable PET/CT scanner guides bedside IR procedures

Though these treatments are typically done with assistance from real-time fluoroscopy, there is ample evidence nuclear imaging may offer more benefits.

6 opportunities to encourage wavering doctor trainees to chin up and soldier on

Last month saw the release of research showing a small but nontrivial number of physicians quit the job soon after completing residency training. Now comes a separate study suggesting the reasons for the phenomenon are often deep, diffuse and knotty—and thus difficult to address in a strictly programmatic way.

Siemens Healthineers receives $7M grant to spearhead cybersecurity research

Funding will back the imaging manufacturer's efforts to boost the cyber resilience of medical devices and equipment.

New care approach cuts breast biopsy referrals by over 50%

Rising imaging volumes have led to an uptick in the unearthing of unexpected breast lesions, with a corresponding jump in follow-up examinations.

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Primary care providers embrace AI-generated imaging results explanations

Stanford Health Care has developed an electronic health record-integrated tool for helping draft comments on radiology, pathology and lab findings.

Employer-sponsored health plans to see 7% jump in premiums, survey finds

Consulting firm Mercer said employers are prepared to deploy cost-cutting measures, including better management of high-cost claims. However, Americans who get insurance through their workplace are likely to face higher out-of-pocket expenses, such as co-pays and deductibles.

HHS to declare maternal Tylenol use a risk factor for autism, report says

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is set to release a report this month outlining possible causes of autism spectrum disorder. The Wall Street Journal reports that it names “low folate levels and acetaminophen during pregnancy” as contributing factors.

Around the web

Radiology Business

Radiologists tout support for bipartisan bill to address interventional ‘payment crisis’

The Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act seeks to smooth out reimbursement differences between office- and hospital-based settings.

Radiology Business

US congressman helps secure $750,000 for rural hospital’s radiology expansion

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, announced the news on June 10, with the money going toward Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg.

Radiology Business

RadNet secures $250M new loan, gets downgrade from Moody’s

The ratings agency contends RadNet is constrained by its geographic concentration in 11 states and high fixed costs, including sizable interest expenses.