The commonality and cost of headache neuroimaging must be addressed nationally in order to reduce overuse and health care expenditures, according to a research letter published on Mar. 17 by JAMA Internal Medicine. 

A survey of member companies in the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) found that the companies are reporting the first year of the medical device excise tax resulted in a loss of jobs and restrained research and development.

In 2013, the average age of installed MRI scanners in the U.S. increased to 11.4 years, meaning many scanners are due for replacement, according to a report from market research and consulting firm IMV Medical Information Division.

Two explanations are usually offered to explain variation in hospital prices within local markets. High prices are often associated with specialized, tertiary care hospitals with a unique mission, or the high-price hospital is exerting its market power in negotiation of prices with private payers.

Intense and increasing pressure to control growth in private health insurance premiums may lead to radical approaches like state-based rate setting or restrictions on contracting arrangements between hospitals and health plans, according to a study published online Jan. 29 by Health Affairs.

As new healthcare payment models become a reality, what do radiologists need to know to be successful?

The modest acceleration of Medicaid spending growth coupled with a slight slow in Medicare and private health insurance spending growth generated the fourth consecutive year of low overall health spending growth in 2012, according to an article published in the January 2014 issue of Health Affairs. 

Drastic reimbursement cuts for image-guided breast biopsies and other medical imaging techniques in the 2014 Medicare Fee Schedule Final Rule may further reduce women’s access to mammography and other breast cancer services. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) directly cut imaging reimbursement every year since 2007. This, along with 12 Medicare imaging cuts in the last six years due to legislation, increasingly threatens patient care.