GE Healthcare attributes Wisconsin lay-offs to medical imaging decline
GE Healthcare Friday laid-off hundreds of employees from its Waukesha, Wis., facility due to a decline in demand for medical imaging services.

Brian McKaig, GE spokesperson, said the layoffs will affect no more than 400 employees, but he did not provide specific numbers. The company employs about 3,000 workers in Waukesha County and 7,000 workers across the state of Wisconsin.

McKaig said the medical imaging equipment manufacturer has been hurt by passage of the federal Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005. GE said that the caps have limited access to medical imaging procedures.

He said employees were told of the layoffs on Thursday; and each employee will be given job search assistance.

Also, McKaig said that governments, insurance companies and state legislatures are taking a number of actions aimed at reducing the amount spent on imaging.

“This directly impacts our customers economically, limiting their ability to reinvest in clinically relevant technology, which has a tremendous impact on patient care and on our business,” he said.

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