Around two in three physicians see Medicare reimbursement time as a "'moderate' issue or worse", according to Medscape's "Doctors Evaluate Medicare and Medicaid Report 2024," published July 12. 

Reimbursement differences between hospital outpatient departments and ASCs are a longstanding point of contention among ASC professionals, with Medicare ASC payments increasing only marginally while Medicare hospital pay has seen comparatively significant jumps.

In June, Walgreens announced plans to reduce its stake in primary care clinic chain VillageMD and to shutter underperforming stores in the next few years. 

Dallas-based Steward Health Care, which filed for bankruptcy May 6, is under criminal investigation by federal prosecutors. 

Healthcare management company Excel Health has acquired Journey Surgery Center in Aliso Viejo, Calif. 

Sedalia, Mo.-based Bothwell Regional Health Center has purchased a medical office building that formerly housed the Women’s Health and Surgical Center, according to a July 15 report from KSIS Radio.

A Washington, D.C., physician is suing David Stockman, MD, and Saginaw Township-based Michigan Health Clinic, alleging failure to pay $142,000 in wages, M Live reported July 12.

Minneapolis-based medical real estate firm Davis has opened Eagan (Minn.) Speciality Center, a 36,100-square-foot  facility.

A single-tenant medical office building in Montrose, Colo., has sold for $2.5 million, according to a July 15 report from REBusiness Online.

Medicaid patient counts for self-employed and employed physicians were substantially lower than Medicare, according to Medscape's 2024 "Doctors Evaluate Medicare and Medicaid Report 2024," published July 12. 

Radiology, anesthesiology and pathology saw the highest pay jump between 2023 and 2024, according to the American Medical Group Association's 2024 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey. 

Surgical specialties have seen a 5.5% increase in pay in the last year, according to the American Medical Group Association's 2024 Medical Group Compensation and Productivity Survey. 

After UnitedHealth Group, parent company of Optum, reached 90,000 affiliated physicians at the end of 2023, it became the largest employer of physicians in the U.S. — sparking industrywide discussions of the risks of consolidation and monopolies. While the company has acquired physician practices and ASCs this year, it has also ended service lines and offloaded centers.

Renton, Wash.-based Providence has alerted 2,200 patients of possible exposure to  hepatitis B and C and HIV after the health system's infection control practices may not have been followed by an anesthesiologist. 

Columbus-based OhioHealth ise opening a medical office space featuring 18 discrete physician clinics, according to a press release from the system. 

Pueblo, Colo.-based Rocky Mountain Eye Center plans to shutter all of its clinics July 31 following 32 years of operation, according to a July 12 report from The Pueblo Chieftain.

Becker's connected with Mel Ona, MD, chair and medical director of gastroenterology at Pali Momi Medical Center in Aiea, Hawaii,  to find out what recent decision has paid off the most at his ASC. 

Facing increasing obstacles to access economies of scale, including rising practice costs and decreasing reimbursement, physician groups are increasingly consolidating. 

Earlier this year, Congress reduced physician pay rates under Medicare Part B by 1.7%, following a 2% cut in physician reimbursements in 2023. 

Nearly half of physicians are in support of accepting more Medicare patients at their practice, according to Medscape's 2024 "Medscape Doctors Evaluate Medicare and Medicaid Report 2024," published July 12.