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.

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.
Radiologists call for new billing codes to reward work outside of interpreting images
Previous studies have shown rads can spend upward of 60% of workhours on such duties, including curbside consults and multidisciplinary meetings.
Radiology practice reaches in-network agreement with UnitedHealthcare 9 months after terminating contract
Arizona-based Southwest Diagnostic Imaging shared the breakthrough Monday, restoring access for patients covered by UHC’s commercial and Medicare Advantage plans effective May 1.
Radiology rises to the No. 2 highest paid specialty, surpassing cardiology and plastic surgery: Medscape
Full-time U.S. radiologists take home about $520,000, a figure that includes base salary, incentive bonuses and other income such as profit-sharing contributions.
Hundreds of radiology practice locations use medical credit cards to secure quicker patient payments
The trend raises questions about the burdens being placed on a potentially vulnerable population, experts write in JAMA Health Forum.

Aclarion, a company using remote MRIs to assess back pain, expands in partnership with RadNet

The publicly traded Broomfield, Colorado, firm plans to bolster access to its Nociscan product across key markets in New York and New Jersey.

artificial intelligence AI can lower healthcare costs

5 ways AI can help make healthcare more affordable for everyone

The people who can least afford healthcare are often among those who need healthcare the most.

More than 1,000 hospitals earn $700M opioid crisis judgment

Drug distributors AmerisourceBergen (Cencora), Cardinal Health, McKesson, Johnson & Johnson, Teva and Allergan do not admit to wrongdoing. However, they have agreed to a settlement which will compensate providers for opioid abuse treatments.

Building a successful CCTA program: Physicians and healthcare executives to share advice

CCTA continues to grow more and more important in the day-to-day treatment of heart patients. Hospitals and health systems that fail to embrace the modality risk falling behind.

Radiology pushes for doc fix as government funding deadline looms

Momentum is building for the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, the AMA notes, with 99 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House.

VA planning 83,000 layoffs as part of restructuring

The reports are based on a leaked internal memo in which the agency said it’s working closely with Elon Musk’s DOGE to cut jobs.

Using CT imaging to opportunistically screen for osteoporosis could save Medicare upward of $2.5B

Only about 11% to 18% of eligible patients receive recommended bone density scans, but CT images gathered for other purposes could fill this gap.

Radiology advocacy pays off, with BCBS affiliate revoking controversial imaging pay policy

The American Society of Neuroradiology said Tuesday it is "delighted" with the decision, which pertains to a key MRI contrast agent.

Economics

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

Radiologists call for new billing codes to reward work outside of interpreting images

Radiology practice reaches in-network agreement with UnitedHealthcare 9 months after terminating contract

Radiology rises to the No. 2 highest paid specialty, surpassing cardiology and plastic surgery: Medscape

Hundreds of radiology practice locations use medical credit cards to secure quicker patient payments