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.

Medicare money payment reimbursement dollar decline. More than 100 U.S. medical societies are throwing their support behind a new proposal that could reform out-of-date Medicare policies and help limit future payment cuts. 

Feds seeking public comment on private equity healthcare spending sprees

A joint announcement from the DOJ, FTC and HHS asks for providers, patients or other industry experts to share their experiences with private equity transactions, including those not typically subject to antitrust review by law.

March 7, 2024
arizona medical debt forgiven katie hobbs

Southwestern state to forgive $2B in medical debt for 1M residents

A February analysis showed more than 11 million Americans owe healthcare providers between $1,001 and $10,000. Another 3 million owe more than $10K.

March 6, 2024
medicare advantage

The secret of Medicare Advantage’s success with outcomes: Consistent care coordination

Medicare Advantage covers a disproportionate share of disadvantaged senior citizens compared with traditional fee-for-service Medicare, yet the former bests the latter on some key outcomes metrics.

March 5, 2024
Video - Ken Rosenfield, MD, MGH, and William Gray, MD, Lankenau Heart, explain impact of new CMS coverage for carotid stenting.

How a big CMS update on carotid stenting could impact interventional cardiology

Ken Rosenfield, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, and William Gray, MD, of Lankenau Heart Institute, detailed the long-term impact of a key policy shift. 

March 5, 2024
Kate Hanneman, MD, University Of Toronto, explains why vendors and hospitals are increasingly discussing lowing their carbon footprint by starting with radiology. 

What does radiology have to do with climate change?

Kate Hanneman, MD, explains why many vendors and hospitals want to lower radiology's impact on the environment. "Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity," she said. "It’s also a responsibility."

March 1, 2024
Money court lawsuit judge ruling scales of justice

Healthcare fraud: DOJ recovered $1.9B in 2023, including several key settlements related to cardiology

The Department of Justice spent a substantial amount of time and energy targeting healthcare fraud in 2023, according to a new 80-page report. Some of the year's biggest settlements involved cardiac surgery and cardiac imaging. 

March 1, 2024
unpaid medical bills medical debt

A definable under/over line separates paying from non-paying patients

Patients who owe providers $500 or less in out-of-pocket expenses tend to pay down the bill. Those who owe more than $500 are evidently inclined to ignore collections efforts and pay nothing at all.

February 29, 2024
rural maternity care

Policy advisors: America’s ‘crisis in rural maternity care’ cries out for attention

Maternity care is in danger of vanishing from rural communities across the U.S., and two addressable if not reversible trends largely account for the peril. 

February 27, 2024

Around the web

Five of the largest U.S. medical societies focused on cardiovascular health are one step closer to seeing their paradigm-shifting proposal become a reality.

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions and Society of Thoracic Surgeons have both shared statements in support of the ban, which is already being challenged in court. The American Hospital Association, meanwhile, opposes the policy shift, saying it “errs by seeking to create a one-size-fits-all rule”

Alison Bailey, MD, co-chair of the business of cardiology sessions at ACC.24, emphasized that reimbursement cuts can have a long-term negative impact on patient. 

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