David Kaplan

With radiology costs in the United States growing to more than $100 billion annually, diagnostic imaging is the second-largest and fastest-growing expense for health plans behind pharmaceuticals. Unmanaged, radiology spending is expected to continue growing at a rate of 20% annually. Factors driving this growth include fragmentation of care, the continual advances in diagnostic imaging technology, the affordability of imaging equipment leading to adoption and utilization in more care settings, direct advertising to patients, and an aging population. As a result, radiology utilization management has become a top priority for health plans.