Revenue & Reimbursement

Healthcare reimbursement is payment that a hospital, diagnostic imaging facility, subspecialty department or healthcare providers receive for performing a service. This also includes individual radiologist or cardiologist reimbursement and billing and coding rules for submitting claims.

‘Concerning’ data connect industry payments to cardiologists with medical device use
U.S. physicians often receive payments from medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. New research in JAMA found a connection between receiving such payments and using specific devices—should the industry be concerned?
Medicare reimbursement down 29% for cardiologists, 58% for heart surgeons
Physician payments are down slightly across the board, but they've fallen significantly for a handful of specialties. Researchers examined the long-term impact this trend could have on patient care.
Why the business side of cardiology was a key focus at ACC.24
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.
Cardiologist salary update: Compensation jumps to $525K per year, No. 3 among all specialties
In addition, cardiologists average an additional $75,000 per year in incentive-based bonuses. That number is only higher for two other specialties.
Critics call out ‘woefully inadequate’ CMS proposal for inpatient Medicare payments
CMS has issued its proposed rule for the 2025 Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system, suggesting a payment increase of 2.6%. According to the American Hospital Association, this update would not be enough at a time when hospitals are already struggling to stay open.

Sam Jones, MD, explains why CMS reduced payments for EP ablation and how it will negatively impact electrophysiology. #HRS #HRS2023 #EPeeps #EPlab #Medicare

Making sense of the huge Medicare reimbursement cuts in electrophysiology

Samuel Jones, MD, examines the large reimbursement reductions in cardiac ablations and what the impact might be on access to care in EP labs.

May 31, 2023

Conifer, Welldoc partner in digital health app

Conifer Health Solutions, a revenue cycle and value-based care solution provider, has teamed up with Welldoc to launch a new digital health app, Conifer Connect.

April 26, 2023

Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) is asking its interventional cardiologist members to take action to prevent further cuts in Medicare payments in 2024 by contacting their Congressmen. There were substantial cuts in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) payments to physicians in 2023 further cuts each year can only be prevented if Congress changes the laws for how CMS pays physicians.

SCAI blasts Medicare payment cuts to cardiology, asks members to take action

The group hopes its members can increase congressional support of a new bill introduced in the House.

April 12, 2023

ACC Vice President Cathie Biga explains issues with cardiology reimbursements at ACC23. #ACC #ACC23

Reimbursement challenges raising concerns in cardiology

Cathie Biga, vice president of the American College of Cardiology, spoke to Cardiovascular Business at ACC.23 about challenges in the world of cardiology reimbursements. "As that healthcare dollar goes up, it is not going to the physicians," she said.

March 21, 2023

Cathie Biga, vice president of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and president and CEO of Cardiovascular Management of Illinois, explains how ACC is becoming more involved in the business side of cardiology. She spoke in several sessions at the ACC 2023 meeting on cardiology business management topics. She brings her cardiac business management experience to ACC as the first non-clinician to take on a senior leadership role in the college. #ACC #ACC23

ACC plans to focus more on cardiology's business management issues

American College of Cardiology Vice President Cathie Biga spoke to Cardiovascular Business about why the organization wants to get more involved in the business side of cardiology.

March 16, 2023

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into radiology PACS and enterprise imaging systems has become a big topic of discussion with IT vendors over the past couple years. This has become a bigger question from hospitals and radiology groups as there are now about 400 radiology related AI algorithms that have U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance. Amy Thompson, a senior analyst at Signify Research, is monitoring radiology AI trends. Photo by Dave Fornell

Trends in the adoption and integration of AI into radiology workflows

Amy Thompson, a senior analyst at Signify Research, explains why AI adoption has been slow in radiology, common barriers and trends in the market.

February 17, 2023

A cardiology practice in Florida and several of its cardiologists have agreed to pay $2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and committed fraud. As a part of the agreement, there has been no determination of liability.

Florida cardiology practice, 10 cardiologists pay $2M to settle fraud allegations

The practice and many of its cardiologists allegedly submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

February 14, 2023

Cleveland Clinic CEO and President Tom Mihaljevic, M.D., delivers the annual State of the Clinic address Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023.

Cleveland Clinic CEO warns of $200M loss in 2022

Cleveland Clinic CEO and President Tom Mihaljevic, MD, gave the healthcare organization’s State of the Clinic speech on Jan. 18, sharing optimism for the company’s future despite a $200 million loss in 2022.

January 18, 2023

Around the web

Cardiovascular Business

FDA announces new recall of delivery catheters after patient’s death

The recall includes specific lots of five different medical devices used to treat stroke and other neurovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular Business

FDA warns against use of troubled heart devices, citing ‘continued concerns’ after multiple recalls

The agency is urging healthcare providers to transition away from these devices and seek out alternatives. It is even working with other manufacturers to try and get similar products on the market as quickly as possible.

Cardiovascular Business

The push for an independent cardiology board continues

Jeffrey Kuvin, MD, one of the leading voices behind efforts to create a new Board of Cardiovascular Medicine, spoke with Cardiovascular Business about where things stand today.

Revenue & Reimbursement

‘Concerning’ data connect industry payments to cardiologists with medical device use

Medicare reimbursement down 29% for cardiologists, 58% for heart surgeons

Why the business side of cardiology was a key focus at ACC.24

Cardiologist salary update: Compensation jumps to $525K per year, No. 3 among all specialties

Critics call out ‘woefully inadequate’ CMS proposal for inpatient Medicare payments

Around the web