Economics

This channel highlights factors that impact hospital and healthcare economics and revenue. This includes news on healthcare policies, reimbursement, marketing, business plans, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain, salaries, staffing, and the implementation of a cost-effective environment for patients and providers.

Heartflow, a leader in AI-powered imaging evaluations, files for IPO
Heartflow, known for its AI-based CCTA evaluations, appears to be going public. The news follows years of momentum for the California-based company, including improved Medicare reimbursements for cardiac CT and a new Category I CPT code for its Plaque Analysis software.
Whole-body MRI ‘longevity’ firm hits 10,000 users, charging up to $19,000 for annual membership
Human Longevity is a luxury clinic that's part of a “lucrative and growing industry” focused on preventive care.
Two insurers dominate most Medicare Advantage markets, report finds
Over 97% of all counties in the U.S. see high or very high levels of consolidation in Medicare Advantage markets, with UnitedHealthcare and Humana owning the most plans nationwide.
Steward sues former CEO over alleged pilfering that contributed to bankruptcy
Former Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre, MD, and other executives are accused in a $1.4 billion legal filing of paying themselves hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses, despite the health system being insolvent.
Patients who visit providers via telemedicine undergo significantly fewer imaging exams
Researchers with the Neiman Health Policy Institute recently investigated how COVID-related care site shifts impacted diagnostic radiology, sharing their findings in JACR.

Private equity firm Stonepeak reportedly walks away from $1.9B radiology group acquisition

Previous reports claimed the New York-based investment firm was "inches" from buying I-MED Radiology, but talks have now stalled.

Hospital sues contractor claiming floors at $100M facility are not level

A series of lawsuits has been filed against Plenary Health Care Partnerships, the consortium hired by the Ontario government to build Humber River Health’s new Toronto hospital, alleging floors are deteriorating and the water system was faulty.

Ascension Health in 'advanced talks' to buy Amsurg from private equity for $3.9B

The acquisition would allow Ascension—a nonprofit health system—to expand its outpatient surgery network, as Amsurg operates 250 centers nationwide. Sources said a final deal could be mere weeks away.

Number of physicians working for small practices drops below 50% for the first time, AMA says

A new report from the American Medical Association reveals that doctors are increasingly likely to work for larger provider groups and hospitals, as single specialty practices slowly disappear.

Radiologist Radiology Money Dollar X-ray Scan Finance

Percentage of radiologists in private practice continues to plummet, AMA says

About 46.9% of physicians in the specialty said they work in a setting wholly owned by physicians, down from 63.6% in the inaugural 2012 survey from the American Medical Association.

money court scale of justice ruling legal settlement

Radiology Partners the No. 1 initiator of No Surprises Act disputes with 136,784, CMS says

The El Segundo, California-based industry giant accounted for about 15% of all disputes in Q4 of 2024 and 18% in Q3.

Prenuvo reveals early findings from elective whole-body MRI clinical trial

The Redwood City, California-based radiology group has enrolled 1,011 “mostly asymptomatic” individuals who underwent whole-body MRIs as part of its “real world” Polaris study.

Rishi Wadhera, MD, MPP, MPhil, associate director of the Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Center for Outcomes Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and an associate professor of health policy and management, Harvard School of Public Health, explains the impact of private equity ownership of hospitals and private practices.

Private equity's influence continues to rise in cardiology—what does that mean for patient care?

Rishi Wadhera, MD, MPP, MPhil, a cardiologist who also specializes in healthcare policy, spoke to Cardiovascular Business about the good, the bad and the unknown when it comes to private equity's role in cardiology.

Economics

Heartflow, a leader in AI-powered imaging evaluations, files for IPO

Whole-body MRI ‘longevity’ firm hits 10,000 users, charging up to $19,000 for annual membership

Two insurers dominate most Medicare Advantage markets, report finds

Steward sues former CEO over alleged pilfering that contributed to bankruptcy

Patients who visit providers via telemedicine undergo significantly fewer imaging exams