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.

Examples of two lung cancers that were caught using low dose CT lung screening. Image from RSNA

Q&A: What updated reimbursement policies could mean for CT lung screening rates in the United States

The ACR said a recent reimbursement rule change for low-dose computed tomography (CT) lung screen scans will help open up screening to more patients.

RadNet shifts strategy toward building new imaging centers amid challenging real estate market

The company has 15 sites in various stages of construction and development, with almost half occurring in existing hospital joint venture deals.

Radiology vendor Merit Medical reportedly exploring sale with $3.5B potential price tag

Private equity firms have shown interest, and the publicly traded company is now working with an investment bank to solicit bids, Reuters reported.

Fujifilm files suit against rival ultrasound maker Butterfly Network claiming patent infringement

A Butterfly Network spokesperson said the company has a "robust" portfolio of patents and plans to defend itself against any claims in court.

Amazon Pharmacy partners with Blue Plans in five states

Amazon Pharmacy has teamed up with Blue Plans to offer prescription medicine options in New Jersey, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida and Kansas.

HHS reports 40% decline in uninsured black Americans with the Affordable Care Act

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a new report March 8 that shows historic gains in healthcare coverage among black Americans.

$9.5M jury award after CT reveals surgical sponge left in woman for 5 years

A radiologist spotted the sponge during a subsequent ED visit, but the info never made it to the patient nor the ordering physician.

New research sheds light on imbalance in cancer imaging studies

The analysis examined 620 cancer imaging studies from the top 25 imaging-related journals to come up with publication-to-incidence and publication-to-mortality ratios.

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