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An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

U.S. Healthcare Spending to Climb 5.3 Percent in 2018

Yasmeen Abutaleb  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—United States health spending is projected to rise 5.3% in 2018, reflecting rising prices of medical goods and services and higher Medicaid costs, a U.S. government health agency said on Wednesday, an upward trend it forecasts for the next decade. The increase represents a sharp uptick from 2017 spending, which the U.S. Centers for…

Submit MIPS Data to the CMS via RISE by March 2

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If you have not done so already, you may submit your 2017 MIPS data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) starting today. Log in to your RISE dashboard, click on all the MIPS categories you would like to report through RISE, and then click on the Submit button. The deadline to submit…

Opioid Makers Paid Millions to Advocacy Groups

Nate Raymond  |  

(Reuters)—Five opioid manufacturers, including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP, have paid more than $10 million to advocacy groups and doctors tied to them, many of whom amplified industry messages supporting the use of the painkillers, a U.S. Senate report said on Monday.1 The report, released by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), says groups who received the…

Menopause Linked with Functional Decline in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Scott Baltic  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—In women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), menopause is associated with both functional decline and an acceleration of that decline, according to a longitudinal study from the U.S. However, several factors involving increased hormonal exposure were associated with less-severe functional decline in women with RA: ever having received hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), ever…

Is It Cold in Here? Working in Cold Environments Linked to RA

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Novel research has linked cold environments—with snow, ice and overall frigid conditions—to an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. This research has many rheumatologists eager for more research that could aid patients and further the understanding of the disease…

More Physical Activity Counseling Urged

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New research from the CDC evaluated the prevalence of healthcare provider counseling for physical activity as a management strategy for arthritis. Researchers found that although healthcare provider counseling for exercise has increased during the past decade, 40% of patients with arthritis do not receive this counseling, resulting in a greater prevalence of physical inactivity for this patient population…

Rheumatologist Shortage Looms Amid Surging Patient Demand

Lisa Rapaport  |  

(Reuters Health)—A growing number of patients are seeking care from rheumatologists for chronic health problems like arthritis, back pain and osteoporosis, just as the supply of specialists is shrinking, two new studies suggest. An estimated 6,013 clinicians in the U.S. specialized in rheumatology as of 2015, the equivalent of 5,415 full-time providers, according to one…

Family Planning Counseling & the Rheumatologist

Arthritis Care & Research  |  

Women with rheumatic diseases have unique reproductive health needs, and family planning counseling is a critical component to their overall healthcare. A new research review examines the barriers to patients with rheumatic disease receiving family planning counseling. Additionally, reviewers provide rheumatologists with practical suggestions to optimize communication with patients, as well as address the effect of medications and the effectiveness of contraception…