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.

CMS announces 15 drugs targeted for third round of Medicare price negotiations
The third round of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program includes treatments for HIV and diabetes, among other conditions. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also released a list of the top 50 medications it deems strong candidates for future negotiations based on current prices and patient utilization.
Radiology practice prepares to ditch hospital partner 3 years before new contract ends
Danbury, Connecticut-based Advanced Imaging Specialists previously sued Trinity Health in November and is now prepared to vacate their contract amid ongoing challenges.
American College of Radiology submits 23 imaging-related CPT codes for consideration
ACR presented its proposals at the AMA's Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee meeting held Jan. 14 to 17 in Los Angeles.
Fans and foes of medical debt relief | Heat on the Hill for payer CEOs | One and done with algorithmic care | and more briefings
Several states use taxpayer dollars to help struggling residents pay down medical debt. One is considered a leader of the movement—by critics as well as proponents.
‘No Kings’ in healthcare: leaders serve patients by following the clinical problem
California’s decision to restrict the use of the title “doctor” in clinical settings underscores a growing disconnect between healthcare policy and the realities of modern care delivery. In an op-ed, health policy professor and former Virginia legislator, Dawn M. Adams, DNP, and Marissa J. Levine, MD, a public health physician and former Virginia health commissioner, argue that rigid physician-centric hierarchies no longer reflect how patients actually receive care.

Reproducibility still a concern in social sciences—but experts remain focused on improvements

A study published Aug. 27 in Nature Human Behaviour showed that scientists are skilled in detected questionable and/or unreliable results.

Limiting oral contrast administration could bring big savings to EDs

Emergency departments (EDs) could see significant cost savings by eliminating oral contrast administration for most patients presenting with nontraumatic abdominal pain, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

Patients more likely to contract central line infections in semi-private hospital rooms

Patients staying in semi-private hospital rooms have a greater chance of contracting a central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) when compared to those in private rooms, according to a study published in PLOS One.

MUSC, Siemens Healthineers team up to improve healthcare in South Carolina

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Siemens Healthineers have announced a new strategic partnership focused on improving healthcare throughout South Carolina. The collaboration will aim to innovate in target areas such as radiology, pediatric care, cardiovascular care and neurosciences.

AHA president touts $2B NIH budget increase as ‘tremendous triumph’ for research

American Heart Association (AHA) president Ivor J. Benjamin, MD, is standing behind last week’s passage of Senate funding bill HR6157, calling the move “a tremendous triumph for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and for every patient who will benefit from its research.”

Assistive surgical devices earn top prizes at biomedical design competition

Several assistive surgical devices took home top prizes during this year’s Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) challenge, arranged by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and VentureWell.

‘Doctors do just fine’: Critics respond to NYU’s free med school plan

When the New York University School of Medicine announced on Aug. 16 it would cover the full cost of tuition for all medical students, school officials lauded the move as a way to end debts exceeding $200,000 for graduating students and attract applicants from various socioeconomic backgrounds.

States that approved Medicaid expansion see fewer uninsured CVD hospitalizations

A JAMA analysis of more than three million non-Medicaid hospitalizations has found states that opted to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act years ago are now seeing lower rates of uninsured hospitalizations for major heart events.

Economics

CMS announces 15 drugs targeted for third round of Medicare price negotiations

Radiology practice prepares to ditch hospital partner 3 years before new contract ends

American College of Radiology submits 23 imaging-related CPT codes for consideration

Fans and foes of medical debt relief | Heat on the Hill for payer CEOs | One and done with algorithmic care | and more briefings

‘No Kings’ in healthcare: leaders serve patients by following the clinical problem