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

Developing & Leading a Research Team

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Translational research is designed to investigate a particular disease process to achieve an improved outcome for patients. Here are some insights into how to bring together the right people for a research team and keep that team focused…

U.S. Official Says 8.8 Million People Signed Up for 2018 Obamacare Health Plans

Reuters Staff  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters)—About 8.8 million people signed up for 2018 Obamacare health insurance plans on the federally run HealthCare.gov, a top U.S. health official said on Thursday, about a 4 percent decline from sign-ups for 2017. The Twitter post from Seema Verma, the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, did not provide…

U.S. Life Expectancy Fell in 2016 as Opioid Overdoses Surged—CDC

Reuters Staff  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters)—Life expectancy in the United States dipped in 2016 as the number of deaths due to opioid drug overdoses surged and total drug overdose deaths rose 21% to 63,600, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday. Life expectancy fell to 78.6 years, a decrease of 0.1 year from 2015,…

United Therapeutics to Pay $210 Million to Resolve U.S. Kickback Probe

Nate Raymond  |  

BOSTON (Reuters)—United Therapeutics Corp will pay $210 million to resolve U.S. claims that the drugmaker used a charity as a conduit to illegally cover Medicare patients’ out-of-pocket drug costs in order to eliminate price sensitivity and to boost sales. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts on Wednesday announced the settlement, one of the first to…

Republican U.S. Tax Bill Deals Biggest Blow Yet to Obamacare

Yasmeen Abutaleb  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—Republicans delivered their biggest blow yet to Obamacare in their tax overhaul that won final congressional approval on Wednesday, and delayed until 2018 consideration of legislation that could help mitigate some of the damage to the 2010 law. The $1.5 trillion tax bill, the biggest overhaul of the U.S. tax code in three decades…

Weight Change in Early RA & the Risk of Mortality

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Sparks et al set out to investigate whether weight change during the early RA period is associated with subsequent mortality and to evaluate whether there is an RA-specific effect. They investigated weight change during the early RA period, because this is the window of time during which weight change is most likely to be related to RA-specific processes. They found that severe weight loss during the early RA period was associated with a subsequent increased mortality risk both for women with and without RA…

Rheumatologist Deborah Desir Brings Advocacy, Fundraising to the Home Front

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When former ACR President Joseph Flood, MD, tapped Deborah Dyett Desir, MD, to volunteer for an ACR committee, he might have assumed that her preference would be to serve on the Committee on Rheumatologic Care or its Insurance Subcommittee. After all, Dr. Desir is in private practice at the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center PC in…

The ACR Maintains Seat at the AMA Table, Achieves Successful Resolutions at HOD Meeting

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Together our voice is heard; our influence is alive. In 2017, ACR members heard the call of the Rheumatology Strong campaign and joined the American Medical Association (AMA) in force, ensuring the College maintains its representation in the country’s largest—and arguably most influential—physician society. “We surpassed our minimum 1,000-member goal by a margin and are hopeful…

Anthem to Reduce E/M Reimbursement When Billed with Modifier 25

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Anthem Blue Cross recently announced changes to its reimbursement policies for modifier 25. As of Jan. 1, 2018, Anthem plans in California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Wisconsin will reduce reimbursement for evaluation and management (E/M) services by 50% when billed with modifier 25. This policy will expand to Missouri on Feb….