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

Health Secretary Nominee Indicates Support for Medicaid Overhaul

Yasmeen Abutaleb  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—Alex Azar, a former drug industry executive and lobbyist nominated to run the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, indicated on Tuesday he supported a Republican bid to overhaul Medicaid and again vowed to tackle high drug prices. Azar appeared before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, which will ultimately decide whether to…

Obesity Linked with Disability After Joint Surgery

Shereen Lehman  |  

(Reuters Health)—People who undergo joint surgery, such as joint replacements for arthritis, are more likely to become dependent in the years following surgery if they are obese, researchers say. Further research is needed to know why this happens and how to prevent it, the study team writes in British Journal of Anaesthesia.1 “I think there’s…

The Diagnosis: How to Advise Newly Diagnosed RA Patients

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Receiving an RA diagnosis may be emotional and difficult for patients. By engaging the patient in learning about the disease and its treatment options, as well as cultivating a communicative relationship, rheumatologists can truly help a patient take control of their health…

Biosimilar SB2 May Work as Well as Infliximab for Rheumatoid Arthritis

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In a 78-week study examining the interchangeability of infliximab with the biosimilar SB2, the treatments demonstrated long-term efficacy, safety and immunogenicity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Across all the study’s treatment groups, patients had similar treatment response rates, and the long-term clinical profile of SB2 was comparable with infliximab…

Anthem Updates Modifier 25 Policy Changes after Talks with AMA

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As reported in the Dec. 28 edition of ACR@Work, Anthem Blue Cross recently announced plans to reduce reimbursement for evaluation and management (E/M) services when billed with modifier 25. At the AMA House of Delegates in November, the ACR joined with a number of other groups to support a resolution directing the AMA to advocate…

The ACR’s 2018 Legislative & Regulatory Priorities

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A recent Politico article outlined the looming agenda facing Congress as 2018 begins: Fund the government, raise the debt ceiling, modify spending caps, address healthcare subsidies, allocate additional funds for disaster relief, and address the status of millions of undocumented young immigrants.1 Amid all that activity, the ACR, through its Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and…

Bringing a Public & Private Practice Perspective to the ACR: A conversation with CORC Chair Colin Edgerton, MD, FACP, RhMSUS

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Colin Edgerton, MD, FACP, RhMSUS, learned many things during his tenure as a rheumatologist and U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, including how to lead large, facility-based medical operations. Combining this knowledge with his current role as a partner in Articularis Healthcare, the largest single-specialty rheumatology private practice in the U.S., Dr. Edgerton has a unique perspective…

Update on ACR’s Rheumatology-Specific APM

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Efforts by the ACR to develop a rheumatology-specific alternative payment model (APM) are well under way. The first draft proposal was approved by the ACR Board of Directors in November and presented to the rheumatology community during the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego. The ACR is pursuing the development of a rheumatology-specific APM…

Meet Chris Adams, MD, the New Chair of the ACR’s Affiliate Society Council

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What initially strikes people about Christopher Adams, MD, FACP, FACR, is his passion for fairness. In 2015, he told readers of The Rheumatologist, “Patients often feel powerless to fight the system and advocate for themselves, and many of my patients felt they lacked a mechanism for addressing their concerns. That’s where we come in.” Dr….