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.

A cardiac CT scan being performed on a Cardiograph dedicated cardiac CT scanner at a Duly Health and Care outpatient clinic. Photo by Dave Fornell

VIDEO: Office-based cardiac CT and FFR-CT offer a new business model

In a new video, Evans Pap­pas, MD, and Sujith Kalathiveetil, MD, both of Duly Health and Care in suburban Chicago, explain the shift toward office-based cardiac CT evaluations and the role of FFR-CT. 

March 22, 2022
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States move breast cancer screening bills forward

The bills update the ages at which insurance carriers are required to cover screening mammograms and add language that includes tomosynthesis in the definition of mammographic screening.

March 21, 2022
Examples of two lung cancers that were caught using low dose CT lung screening. Image from RSNA

Q&A: What updated reimbursement policies could mean for CT lung screening rates in the United States

The ACR said a recent reimbursement rule change for low-dose computed tomography (CT) lung screen scans will help open up screening to more patients. 

March 11, 2022

New research sheds light on imbalance in cancer imaging studies

The analysis examined 620 cancer imaging studies from the top 25 imaging-related journals to come up with publication-to-incidence and publication-to-mortality ratios. 

March 8, 2022
CT scan showing lung cancer nodules with measurements of each nodule to track growth or regression from treatment. Image courtesy of RSNA

ACR outlines changes in Medicare lung cancer screening coverage

The American College of Radiology recently released a detailed summary of the National Coverage Determination related to screening for lung cancer with low dose CT.

February 28, 2022
The U.S. Congress is working on healthcare legislation to fix medicare reimbursements and end annual cuts to physicians.

Several medical imaging societies ask to be involved in Congressional Medicare reform efforts

Numerous medical imaging societies, including the ACR, signed onto a letter dated Feb. 25 that was sent to members of Congress requesting collaboration on reforms to the Medicare physician payment system.

February 25, 2022
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UnitedHealthcare launches program steering patients toward low-cost imaging centers

Patients will pay lower out-of-pocket costs for receiving imaging services at UHC-approved Designated Diagnostic Providers.

January 28, 2022
Medical Bills

15% of patients admit to skipping imaging exams, other care due to out-of-pocket costs

About 1 in 3 Americans experience distress related to medical costs, and more fear paying for a serious illness rather than the illness itself, according to a new JACR study.

January 27, 2022

Around the web

Automated AI-generated measurements combined with annotated CT images can improve treatment planning and help referring physicians and patients better understand their disease, explained Sarah Jane Rinehart, MD, director of cardiac imaging with Charleston Area Medical Center.

Two advanced algorithms—one for CAC scores and another for segmenting cardiac chamber volumes—outperformed radiologists when assessing low-dose chest CT scans. 

"Gen AI can help tackle repetitive tasks and provide insights into massive datasets, saving valuable time," Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said Tuesday. 

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