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.

Referrers frequently failing to recommend patients for key interventional radiology procedure
An analysis of nearly 272,000 uterine fibroid healthcare encounters shows that only about 4% of women underwent uterine fibroid embolization, a minimally invasive IR treatment option.
WSJ: UnitedHealth seeks meeting with Trump as part of lobbying effort
The Wall Street Journal said that President Donald Trump has yet to meet with company representatives. However, UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley reportedly met with members of the administration in Washington.
Noted radiologist partners with urology practice coalition, expanding access to IR services nationwide
The Urology Management Alliance is teaming with IR Centers, a platform company dedicated to offering minimally invasive procedures in outpatient settings.
11% of U.S. adults were uninsured in 2024, Census data shows
Newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows most Americans still rely on work for their health coverage, with 53.8% of insured Americans receiving coverage through their employer.
Medicare has denied $16M worth of radiology artificial intelligence claims
The federal payment program first started paying for AI in 2018 and has denied about 53% of claims (or 53,857) submitted by radiologists since then, experts detail in JACR.

American Health Imaging US Radiology Specialists

US Radiology Specialists affiliate expands into new market

Atlanta-based American Health Imaging is opening two new multimodality imaging centers around Alabama's most populous city.

insurance insurer payment claim denial reimbursement prior authorization

Radiologist rails against insurer’s refusal to cover key interventional service

Michael Ginsburg, MD, shared his frustrations on social media after Cigna declined to reimburse for a prostate artery embolization procedure.

Edwards Evoque transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement TTVR

CMS proposes Medicare coverage for transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement

Edwards Lifesciences sent a formal request to CMS in February after its Evoque TTVR device gained FDA approval. The agency is now accepting public comments for 30 days.

Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliate rejects MRI contrast coverage, labeling it ‘investigational’

The BCBS decision pertains to gadopiclenol, a gadolinium-based product sold under the brand names Elucirem and Vueway.

Radiology experts say state Medicaid rates must increase to improve imaging access

Eliminating reimbursement gaps may reduce the healthcare and outcome disparities experienced by these underserved groups, ACR-affiliated researchers reported.

Video of SNMMI President Cathy Cutler explaining advocacy efforts for nuclear imaging. #SNMMI

Policy reforms in Washington that will impact nuclear imaging

SNMMI President Cathy Cutler, PhD, explains some of the key policy initiatives the society is pursuing to help support the field of nuclear medicine.

healthcare value value-based care money dollar

Merck spends up to $2B to license new weight loss drug with potential heart benefits

Merck sent Hansoh Pharma, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, an upfront payment of $112 million to license a new investigational GLP-1 receptor agonist. There could be many more payments to come if certain milestones are met.

Hologic recalling breast care device after 252 injuries, slew of patient lawsuits

More than 100 plaintiffs have now sued the Marlborough, Massachusetts-based mammography-maker, claiming they suffered injuries and emotional distress stemming from implantation of the BioZorb radiographic marker.

Economics

Referrers frequently failing to recommend patients for key interventional radiology procedure

WSJ: UnitedHealth seeks meeting with Trump as part of lobbying effort

Noted radiologist partners with urology practice coalition, expanding access to IR services nationwide

11% of U.S. adults were uninsured in 2024, Census data shows

Medicare has denied $16M worth of radiology artificial intelligence claims