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.

MGMA warns of government overreach in the proposed 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
The Medical Group Management Association shares concerns about the draft fee schedule published in July. A major concern is the government possibly changing how RVUs are set, rather than allowing the medical specialty representatives to have a say.
Median medical school debt among radiology-bound graduates is $200,000
This figure fell by 19.4% in 2024, from a peak indebtedness of $237,600 as of 2015, researchers wrote Thursday.
3 key questions about private equity’s impact on radiology
“Some radiologists harbor deepening concerns about these trends, including moral distress," two members of the specialty write in JACR.
House lawmakers criticize Medicare pay model targeting ‘wasteful’ interventional radiology services
CMS is seeking to cut unnecessary use of certain IR services in Medicare, such as image-guided decompression of the spine, epidural steroid injections and percutaneous vertebral augmentation.
Cook Medical hopes new iMRI division could be ‘game changer’ for interventional radiology
The Bloomington, Indiana-based vendor is betting big on MRI's use in image-guided care, touting its ability to cut radiation exposure while bolstering precision.

RadNet expects to open 12 new centers in 2024, potentially enter more markets

The decision comes amid strong demand for the publicly traded, Los Angeles-based radiology provider’s services.

DOJ collects $1.9B from healthcare in 2023, with imaging provider making 1 of the biggest payouts

Cardiac Imaging Inc. agreed to pay $85 million in October, the largest judgment in the “Laboratory, Pathology, Radiology and Diagnostics" category.

A definable under/over line separates paying from non-paying patients

Patients who owe providers $500 or less in out-of-pocket expenses tend to pay down the bill. Those who owe more than $500 are evidently inclined to ignore collections efforts and pay nothing at all.

Medical imaging vendor Carestream laying off 200-plus employees, closing facility

The decision is due to reduced production volumes, the high cost of site infrastructure and opportunities to streamline shipping.

Left, the FIRE1 heart failure remote monitoring device that gets implanted into the IVC to measure fluid volume status. Right, the external belt monitoring device worn by the patient that can alert clinicians about status changes so interventions can be done before a patient requires a hospital admission.

Early feasibility study for implantable heart failure monitor moves forward

Startup vendor FIRE1 completed patient enrollment in its U.S. early feasibility study for a heart failure remote monitoring device that directly measures fluid volume inside the IVC.

Investor-backed diagnostic imaging provider Affidea scores $216M in growth capital

The radiology group executed 14 acquisitions last year, adding 24 new imaging centers to its network for a total of 355.

Radiology Partners’ restructuring reduces its debt by 20% or $600M, Moody’s estimates

That would leave RP’s current obligations at about $2.4 billion, with debt maturities now extended by several years.

RadNet enters first new market since 2020, acquiring 7 imaging centers

The M&A deal is with Houston Medical Imaging, which performed over 135,000 procedures last year, producing $28M in revenue.

Economics

MGMA warns of government overreach in the proposed 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

Median medical school debt among radiology-bound graduates is $200,000

3 key questions about private equity’s impact on radiology

House lawmakers criticize Medicare pay model targeting ‘wasteful’ interventional radiology services

Cook Medical hopes new iMRI division could be ‘game changer’ for interventional radiology