By the Numbers in Healthcare

26 – The 26 states and a business group that successfully challenged the healthcare reform law in federal court said the judge clearly meant to halt implementation of the healthcare overhaul. The comments from the states and the National Federation of Independent Business, filed in a Florida federal court Wednesday evening, came a week after the Obama administration sought clarification on a Jan. 31 ruling that struck down the entire reform law.

52 – Fifty-two upstate New York hospitals, including 19 in Western New York, received more than $19 million in “quality improvement incentive payments” last year from Univera and its Rochester-based parent, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, the insurers said.

$125 Million – South Carolina HHS director Tony Keck told House budget writers he wants to cut payments to doctors and hospitals by $125 million. That will require lawmakers to remove a proviso that prohibits the state from cutting those payments. Keck told lawmakers the state’s payments to providers are 16th-highest in the nation.

44 percent – In the just-released HealthLeaders Media Industry Survey 2011, just 24% of health plan leaders polled said the industry is on the right track – – that’s only one in four, a sure sign of trouble.

More encouraging data from the survey shows that nearly half (44%) of survey respondents said their organizations will be part of an accountable care organization within the next five years. More specifically, reimbursement ranks in the top three priorities for these executives over the next three years. 

$4.6 Billion – HCA Holdings Inc (Nashville, TN) plans to launch a $4.6 billion IPO on March 10, 2011. The company will start marketing its deal to investors on February 21, 2011. HCA plans to price its offering March 9 in preparation for trading the next day on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HCA.” HCA, formerly a public company, was taken private in a 2006 acquisition.