Contrary to the recent technical reimbursement cuts this year, which have negatively impacted diagnostic imaging operators, professional reimbursement for the same CPT codes have experienced a stable to slight decline; although, in some instances there was an increase. Modalities such as Computed Tomography (“CT”) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (“MRI”) experienced technical reimbursement declines between 1 percent and 45 percent. For many freestanding imaging operators relying heavily on governmental payors, without an increase in volume and/or expense reductions, the technical reimbursement declines directly impact the operating earnings of the business. 

Radiology business managers help practices thrive in our challenging health care climate. They possess a level of sophisticated business experience sought out by radiologists who are being forced to take time away from patient care to attend to the business responsibilities of the practice. However, a business manager who steps in to handle these duties and alleviate the pressure on physicians still needs to approach them to obtain buy-in on various major practice decisions. The larger the practice, the more daunting this task can appear. David Myrice, director of practice management for Zotec Partners, walks us through the important steps in obtaining radiologist buy-in on important practice decisions.

Medicare’s temporary freeze on payments for certain PET scans of solid tumors, which began Oct. 6 and won’t end until Nov. 11, came as no surprise. The agency announced last spring that it needed time to test and edit this part of its claims-processing system. 

Now that we're reaching the one year mark of the official launch of the health insurance exchange, critics and supporters continue to debate whether or not healthcare reform is reforming anything. According to an article in Forbes today, something much bigger is happening. Whatever you think of its merits, the Affordable Care Act is re-shaping American healthcare, radically altering business models that hadn’t changed in decades.  

Another key member of the Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT (ONC) has resigned. Judy Murphy, chief nursing officer (CNO) and director of the Office of Clinical Quality and Safety (OCQS), is leaving ONC and will join IBM Healthcare Global Business Services in the role of chief nursing officer. Her last day will be Oct. 17.

MILWAUKEE, Wis., Oct. 1, 2014 — Integrated Medical Partners (IMP), a full-service provider of profit-improvement solutions for medical practices announced today the addition of Mr. Keith E. Chew, MHA, CMPE as Managing Director, Strategic Positioning and Consulting Services. Mr. Chew will also have the same title with Integrated Radiology Partners (IRP), the IMP solution for Radiology Practices.

Radiology’s new normal is an ongoing perfect storm of business pressures. Faced with the constant need to navigate swim-or-sink waters roiled by bundled payments, pay for performance and other models of financial risk-sharing—not to mention declining reimbursement, increased regulatory oversight and transparency on pricing and quality—forward-thinking practices are partnering with their competitors in new joint venture (JV) models.

We live in a culture of bling in which heat and chutzpah trump almost everything—what else explains the fact that Kim Kardashian has a leading game app in the Apple store? Given that, and the fact that India just put a satellite into orbit around Mars for a fraction ($74 million) of what we spent ($671 million) to send MAVEN to Mars, I’d like to take a few of your minutes to praise the virtues of thrift, despite the fact (or maybe because of it) that we are a country with a nearly $18 trillion dollar debt and an unsustainable Medicare program.