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.

Massive spending bill passes final vote in Congress with Medicaid cuts intact
The 940-page document passed the House of Representatives in a 218 to 214 vote, and now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk. It contains a 20% cut to federal Medicaid funding, something Trump said he opposes.
Doc groups say payer promises not enough to address care denials
MGMA and others who are part of the “Regulatory Relief Coalition” are urging Congress to continue pushing forward with the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act.
Provider pay increased by 4.9% across specialties in 2024, survey finds
A survey from the American Medical Group Association found that physicians and advanced care providers are making more money when compared to hours worked. However, the complications of inflation and the rising cost of care could eat into gains.
PFA market heats up as medtech companies announce new investments
While Kardium raised $250 million in an oversubscribed funding round, Field Medical raised $35 million. Both companies are focused on designing and developing new pulsed field ablation technologies to help treat challenging arrhythmias.
Senate bounces spending bill back to House with 2.5% Medicare rad pay fix
In addition, there are no restrictions on pass-through entity taxes (PTET), which “benefits independent physician practices,” one expert notes.

Opinion: For healthcare AI to be all that it can be, ‘the user’s needs must come first’

AI will only succeed in healthcare to the extent that it wins over all three stakeholder subpopulations—providers, payers and patients.

CMS announces major Stark Law updates designed to help cardiologists, other providers work together

CMS has been considering such changes for years, hoping to reduce paperwork and encourage collaboration.

Practice agrees to pay $1.4M for allegedly delivering teleradiology services from outside the US

The Department of Justice claims that Mori, Bean and Brooks fraudulently billed government payment programs for the interpretation work between 2012 and 2019.

5 mixed takes on the opening of Amazon Pharmacy

When Amazon opened the doors of its drugstore business Nov. 17, the potential competitive ramifications rattled that industry on many levels. Would establishment drug sellers stand a chance against the mighty retail innovator?

Nuance hands off 2 business units, leans hard into conversational AI

A new company called DeliverHealth Solutions is forming to service clients of Nuance’s HIM transcription and EHR go-live businesses.

‘Dead wrong’: American College of Radiology sounds alarm over low doc engagement on high-impact issue

The Radiology Advocacy Network is trying to drum up support for a bill to grant rads a pay hike, but they're seeing historically low response rates.

American Medical Association declares racism an ‘urgent public health threat’

AMA called for systemic and structural change to improve the health of the nation as a whole.

Center for Diagnostic Imaging enters new market with acquisition of 8 outpatient radiology centers

Leaders with the growing practice said they’ll continue to seek further deals in the near term, focusing on “high quality providers in attractive markets.”

Economics

Massive spending bill passes final vote in Congress with Medicaid cuts intact

Doc groups say payer promises not enough to address care denials

Provider pay increased by 4.9% across specialties in 2024, survey finds

PFA market heats up as medtech companies announce new investments

Senate bounces spending bill back to House with 2.5% Medicare rad pay fix