Webinar: ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice| Video: All the Lonely People

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

From the College

AMA Workshop Focuses on Alternative Payment Models

  |  

On Oct. 4 in Chicago, the AMA hosted its second workshop on alternative payment models (APMs). The conference room was packed with providers and staff from specialty societies ready to listen to a whole day’s worth of APM presentations from professionals in the field. To kick off the meeting, AMA President-Elect Barbara McAneny, MD, welcomed…

Final Quarter for 2017 MIPS Reimbursement Has Begun

  |  

The final stage of reporting for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) began Oct. 2, 2017, if you chose the option to report for 90 consecutive days. The MIPS transition year began Jan. 1, 2017, and runs until Dec. 31, 2017. If you subscribed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) email, you…

Advocacy in the Social Media Era

  |  

Advocacy efforts in the medical profession are evolving as technology evolves. The rise of social media, in particular, has brought about great change in the way organizations, such as the ACR, interact with Congress. At the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, Nov. 3–8 in San Diego, former Sen. Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.) will discuss how to continue…

Rheumatology Coding Corner Answer: Prolonged Service without Direct Patient Contact, Part 2

  |  

Take the challenge. CPT codes 99358—prolonged evaluation and management (E/M) service before and/or after patient care; first hour 99359—each additional 30 minutes (list separately in addition to codes for prolonged service) Coding Rationale No—This scenario would not support the medical necessity to bill the prolonged service code(s). Keep in mind, the time that the supporting…

Rheumatology Coding Corner Question: Prolonged Service without Direct Patient Contact, Part 2

  |  

An established, 66-year-old male patient is seen in the office for a follow-up visit for his fibromyalgia. The physician makes the decision to prescribe venlafaxine for anxiety and depression, and gabapentin for nerve pain. After the visit, the physician informs his medical assistant (MA) to contact the patient’s insurance carrier because venlafaxine requires a prior…

Tips to Manage, Prevent Medical Billing Claim Denials

  |  

Physicians are increasingly fighting multiple forces in running a practice, and one of the most common barriers to effective revenue cycle management is frequent medical billing and claim denials. An insurance company’s denial for services places a significant strain on the financial process of the practice, which affects the bottom line. According to the Medical…

Rheumatology Champions Call for Lower Prescription Drug Costs, and More in Meeting with Congressional Legislators

  |  

ACR advocates recently returned to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress as part of the Advocates for Arthritis fly-in conference on Sept. 26. This annual event brings together rheumatology professionals to advocate on behalf of the rheumatology community. Core issues on which the advocates focused this year include lowering the out-of-pocket cost of…

The ACR Early Career Investigators to Host Sessions at 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Jeffrey Sparks, MD, MMSc  |  

The ACR Early Career Investigators (ECI) Subcommittee has organized two sessions at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego. These sessions are devoted to serving the needs of early career investigators including junior faculty, fellows, graduate students and post-docs. Both sessions provide unique opportunities to optimize the research landscape for early career investigators. Mentoring…

The ACR Rheumatology Research Workshop Designed to Promote Collaboration, Mentoring Among Investigators

Iris Navarro-Milan, MD, & Jeffrey Sparks, MD, MMSc  |  

The ACR Rheumatology Research Workshop (RRW) is a two-day meeting designed to promote interactions between early and established investigators to foster collaboration and facilitate career mentoring. The RRW is targeted to rheumatology fellows, junior faculty, medical/graduate students, and residents interested in learning more about how to succeed in a research career for rheumatology. RRW is…