With a steadily diversifying U.S. population, the professional and societal consequences of health disparities continue to grow. Rheumatologists may need to innovate to prevent these disparities for their patients. A new ACR program will focus on member-led projects that reduce health racial and ethnic disparities for patients with rheumatic disease…
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) makes recommendations to Congress on Medicare policy including physician payments and patient access issues. These recommendations can directly impact rheumatology care coverage and rheumatologist reimbursement. Representatives of the ACR and partners recently met with new MedPAC Executive Director James E. Mathews, PhD, to discuss appropriate recognition of rheumatology care…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—An international task force says patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) should be treated to a target of clinical remission, among other new recommendations. “The Task Force is convinced that transferring (the recommendations) into clinical practice will significantly improve the outcomes in patients with JIA,” Dr. Angelo Ravelli of the Istituto G….
Time certainly flies, and 2018 marks the second year that rheumatologists who see Medicare patients are operating under the new Quality Payment Program (QPP) created by the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). MACRA repealed the Fee-for-Service model under the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula and transitioned Medicare reimbursement to a system more overtly…
Understanding your compensation is critical before you decide to accept a job. In the world of medical practices or groups, however, this understanding is even more essential, because a wide variety of compensation structures for physicians exists. These compensation models can dictate not only what a physician will make in the near future, but also…
Since the beginning of the year, the ISC has sent eight letters to payers in response to problematic policies. Each letter outlines the ACR’s concerns and requests corrective action…
The ACR’s 2015 Rheumatology Workforce Study Report projects a shortage of 3,800 rheumatologists in the U.S. by 2040. Given the projected rise in the number of adults with arthritis and the anticipated shortfall in the supply of rheumatologists, it is more important than ever to raise awareness about the benefits of early intervention, timely referral and specialized care by a rheumatologist. The ACR’s Board of Directors and advocacy team will be in Washington, D.C., this month to let legislators know how their decisions affect your practices and patients. You can take action—no matter where you are—to help us spread our advocacy messages throughout the month…
Amar Majjhoo, MD, had just completed his rheumatology fellowship in 2005 when he attended his first meeting of the Michigan Rheumatism Society. “I thought it was exciting that we had a state society, because to me, everything was new,” says the Michigan-based, private practice rheumatologist. “Having a meeting where established doctors were sitting around was…
NEW YORK (Reuters)—The head of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Scott Gottlieb said on Wednesday that he was concerned about the impact of deals like the CVS Health purchase of Aetna Inc. on the ability of pharmaceutical companies to block the entry of cheaper copycat drugs. As the pharmacy benefit managers and the drug…
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…