​In 2006, the AMA’s CPT® Editorial Panel established six Category III CPT® codes to describe cardiac computed tomography angiography with contrast materials (cardiac CT services) effective January 1, 2006. In 2010, the six codes were replaced with three Category I CPT® codes, 75572, 75573, and 75574.  The three codes have been paid in alignment with the HOPPS payment rate methodology based on geometric mean cost, ranging from $175-$265 from CY 2015 through CY 2024.

​Magnetic Resonance (MR) safety is a critical concern due to the powerful magnetic fields and radiofrequency energy used in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. The MR environment has the potential to pose significant risks to patients with implanted medical devices or foreign bodies. These objects may heat up, move, or malfunction, potentially causing harm. Prior to 2025, there was no specific way to report the extra effort involved in assessing and mitigating these risks before an MR exam or procedure. Now, providers can be reimbursed for the essential tasks required to safeguard these patients, including implant or foreign body evaluation, implant positioning or immobilization, safety consultation, and preparation of electronic devices. This change acknowledges the importance of MR safety protocols and supports the necessary steps to protect patients while maintaining imaging quality. 

​Stay on top of coding and reimbursement guideline updates for the new year with our comprehensive summaries of the CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) Final Rules. Packed with insights into key updates and changes impacting healthcare providers, these resources are essential for understanding how reimbursement, policy shifts, and coding updates will shape the year ahead. Don’t miss this opportunity to prepare your organization—download the full summary today by filling out the form below.

​As healthcare continues to evolve, so too do the models that determine how providers are reimbursed for their services. With an increasing shift from procedure-based payments to those that rely heavily on diagnosis coding, ensuring your practice is prepared for these changes is essential for long-term success. The ICD-10-CM diagnosis code set, once considered secondary to procedure codes in reimbursement, is now playing a more central role, making precise documentation critical.

By: Ron DiGiaimo, MBA, FACHE, and Briauna Driggers

​The Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) determines how physicians are paid for their services and is essential in the healthcare reimbursement process. However, in the field of Radiation Oncology (RO), the current state of PFS has been facing consecutive years of significant challenges. 

In an era where technology increasingly intersects with healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a beacon of innovation, promising to redefine the contours of medical diagnostics and treatment. Healthcare is on the cusp of unlimited possibilities to integrate AI including large language models (LLMs), foundational models, multimodal fusion, and more. We are facing a massive challenge of healthcare burnout due to tedious duties and a shortage of qualified workers. There are high demands for faster and more accurate turnaround times with the expectation that a promising treatment or even cure is always around the corner. We have the opportunity to streamline medicine from predictive to diagnostics and treatment. 

Radiologist shortages. Recruiting challenges. Compensation struggles. Benchmarking confusion. Maintaining independence. AI concerns. 
 
The field of radiology faces constant challenges and opportunities for improvement, and staying ahead requires not just insight but foresight. From the recruitment of essential talent to navigating the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, every radiologist and healthcare professional faces critical decisions that will shape the future of patient care. ​ 

Discover the Top 5 Challenges: Get an insider's look into the most pressing issues facing radiology today. ​

By: Ron DiGiaimo, MBA, FACHE and Briauna Driggers

Healthcare has made a major impact on our country’s economy, and it is interesting to see how cancer care fits into that picture.  There are many moving parts to the oncology portion of healthcare economics; medical oncology and the associated high-cost drugs, surgical oncology, and radiation oncology being the most known and utilized.  We quickly recognize that Radiation Oncology has the lowest number of practicing physicians nationally of those three specialties.  

By: Briauna Driggers

In 2022, a new Hospital Price Transparency Rule came into effect. Unfortunately, many hospitals are struggling to implement these new standards and are facing difficulties into 2023.
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Regulations and best practices are always changing in the healthcare industry. Healthcare audits are designed to help facilities provide the most efficient and effective patient care, but they can also be a source of stress and frustration for organizations. Failing a healthcare audit can lead to financial and legal penalties. 

By Ron DiGiaimo, MBA, FACHE, Matt Palmer, MBA, CMD, Jon Hopkins, BSRT(R)(T), and Briauna Driggers

​FLASH proton therapy is a groundbreaking technological advancement in the world of cancer care that has the promise to save lives, ease the patient experience, and open the door for numerous advancements in the field of radiation oncology.