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.

Former ACA Marketplace enrollee: ‘This is ridiculous—$1,200 and an $8,000 deductible for a healthy person. Really?’
A new KFF survey shows almost 10% of people who had an Obamacare Marketplace plan in 2025 decided to head into 2026 with no coverage at all. Another 28% re-enrolled but with a different—presumably lesser—plan.
Healthcare price transparency startup earns $40M in seed funding, bringing the total to $95M
San Diego-based Turquoise Health was founded in 2020 and has evolved to be a healthcare pricing engine used to develop health plan networks and contract rates. The company said its end goal is complete price transparency to make it easier for all organizations and patients to navigate the U.S. healthcare system.
EP advocacy group details 6 key policy issues
The Heart Rhythm Society's advocacy arm is monitoring such issues as prior authorization, outpatient payment policies and cancelled research funding.
Consolidation, competition, consumer costs: Healthcare econ experts break it all down, make it make sense
Market forces like competition cannot stem the urge to merge among and between payers and providers, so neither will they staunch the price hikes in premiums.
MGMA outlines path and pitfalls in CMS 2030 value-based care push
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has tested nearly 40 APMs, of which only two turned out to be successful, which does not bode well for meeting a 2030 deadline to transition to value-based payments.

Emergency trunk CT rises sharply even for minor, moderate trauma

Almost 10 of every 1,000 patients evaluated for trauma injuries in 2018 received CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis to supply a diagnostic view of, in essence, the entire torso.

Carestream seeking Chapter 11 protection

Radiography OEM Carestream Health Inc. has filed for voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization with a federal bankruptcy court in Delaware.

Jianyi "Jay" Zhang, MD, PhD, is leading research on growing new heart muscle cells

Researchers receive $11.2M to study how the heart recovers from significant damage

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, awarded the funds to three research teams.

Chinese medical imaging OEM raises $1.6B on first day of trading

United Imaging Healthcare of Shanghai just became the seventh Chinese company this year to enjoy an IPO topping $1 billion—and the third best-performing of the bunch.

Researchers examine growth of nonphysician practitioners in radiology

A new paper in the Journal of the American College of Radiology digs into the emergence of physician assistants and nurse practitioners in radiology and how it has impacted clinical and procedural volumes and imaging interpretation.

Employer healthcare plan costs will rise again next year

"In complete contrast over the last decades, we are measuring that healthcare budgets for U.S. employers will come in nearly three times lower than the Consumer Price Index this calendar year. Despite this historic occurrence, employer health costs are expected to increase 6.5[%] in 2023 due to economic inflation pressures," says Debbie Ashford, North America chief actuary for health solutions at Aon.

Americans are facing a prescription drug debt spiral

More than 4 in 10 prescription drug medicine users are concerned that drug spending will lead to bankruptcy or debt.

CathVision’s ECGenius EP Recording System, a new solution designed to capture high-fidelity, low-noise electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings for the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (AFib).

Heart rhythm specialists raise $7.2M to fund advances for FDA-cleared ECG system

The new funding all came from existing investors. “Reinvesting in the company demonstrates confidence in our innovation," CathVision's CEO said about the news.

Economics

Former ACA Marketplace enrollee: ‘This is ridiculous—$1,200 and an $8,000 deductible for a healthy person. Really?’

Healthcare price transparency startup earns $40M in seed funding, bringing the total to $95M

EP advocacy group details 6 key policy issues

Consolidation, competition, consumer costs: Healthcare econ experts break it all down, make it make sense

MGMA outlines path and pitfalls in CMS 2030 value-based care push