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.

Proposed HHS budget would close NINR, cut nursing programs
The American Nurses Association is warning that eliminating support for the training and research offered by the National Institute of Nursing Research could be devastating to the public, as many programs support specialties such as maternal and mental health.
Family of heart patient who died awarded $45M after suing health system for negligence
The 55-year-old patient woke up experiencing chest pain one morning and an ambulance was called. He was dead just a few hours later. His family's lawsuit argued that delays in care, communication errors and other issues were directly responsible for his death.
Leaked HHS budget reveals 30% cuts, elimination of many core services
A proposal for the massive restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services ends funding to programs associated with chronic disease management, lead safety, and Head Start. However, HHS is adding a new department to focus on understanding the cause of long-term illness.
RadNet leaders discuss rationale behind blockbuster $103M iCAD AI acquisition
RadNet provides 1.9M mammograms per year in the U.S., and adding iCAD’s installed customer base would boost the number of impacted exams to 10M.
Interventional radiologists ‘markedly’ increase billing for nonprocedural work, despite drop in overall doc count
"These findings underscore IR’s accelerating transition toward comprehensive patient care, with significant implications for training, practice management, and the specialty’s role within the broader healthcare landscape," experts write.

Physician burnout has become ‘widespread,’ Radiology Partners warns Medicare program

Continued declines in reimbursement and mounting administrative burdens are combining to weigh down members of the specialty, RP wrote in recent comments.

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US radiology providers catering to patients facing long wait times for imaging in Canada

One critical access hospital in North Dakota is treating upward of 20 Canadian patients per month, the CBC reports.

AMA study shows four pharmacy benefit managers control 70% of the market

The study from the American Medical Association is based on data from commercial and Medicare Part D plans. The analysis found market share for PBMs is heavily concentrated, leading to higher drug costs.

SpectraWAVE, a Massachusetts-based imaging company focused on treatments for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), has closed a $50 million funding round. Johnson & Johnson Innovation led the round, and other participants included S3 Ventures, Lumira Ventures, SV Health Investors, Deerfield Management, NovaVenture and Heartwork Capital.

SpectraWAVE raises $50M for FDA-cleared intravascular imaging technology

The funds, including a significant investment from Johnson & Johnson, are expected to go toward expanding access to the company's HyperVue Imaging System and exploring new features.

CTC colonography colon cancer colonoscopy

ACR concerned pay cap on CT-based colon cancer screening could make service ‘untenable’

Medicare wants to limit the technical component for the exam to the HOPPS rate, which would represent an 81% reduction to the MPFS amount of $459.92.

artificial intelligence regulation legislation

Coalition repping over 1M radiologists and other clinicians urges Congress to fix ‘systemic’ payment flaws

“Congress must act before the end of 2024 to provide clinicians with the financial stability needed to ensure beneficiaries continue to have access to high-quality care,” the groups wrote.

Imaging vendor faces delisting from the Nasdaq due to low stock price

Breast scanner-maker QT Imaging first started trading its shares in March following a long-delayed merger deal and related lawsuit.

healthcare money economics dollar stethoscope acquire merger

Steward paid $719M dividend to private equity owner prior to bankruptcy

The 2016 payout totaled $770 million, with $71 million going to executives at Steward Health Care. That year, the hospital chain reported a net loss of $300 million.

Economics

Proposed HHS budget would close NINR, cut nursing programs

Family of heart patient who died awarded $45M after suing health system for negligence

Leaked HHS budget reveals 30% cuts, elimination of many core services

RadNet leaders discuss rationale behind blockbuster $103M iCAD AI acquisition

Interventional radiologists ‘markedly’ increase billing for nonprocedural work, despite drop in overall doc count