National Imaging Associates, a subsidiary of Magellan Health Services, has started a two-year demonstration study to assess the appropriate use of advanced imaging for Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries. The research will examine the impact of physician decision support tools on mitigating the inappropriate use of MRI, CT and nuclear medicine.

Factors such as labor expenditures, shortfalls in reimbursement and health IT related costs are major drivers in hospital price increases over the past decade. Hospital costs have increased by almost 5 percent per year from 2000 to 2009, according to a report published this month that was sponsored by the American Hospital Association (AHA).