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

Increasing Opioid Dose May Not Help Chronic Pain

David Douglas  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—In patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, an increase in opioid dosage appears to be of no clear benefit, according to a two-year study. As Benjamin J. Morasco, PhD, tells Reuters Health by email, “When we followed patients with chronic pain, who were already prescribed long-term opioid therapy, we found patients as a…

Low-Dose Methotrexate Can Cause Adverse Effects

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Low-dose methotrexate can be associated with gastrointestinal, pulmonary, infectious, hematologic and other adverse effects, according to an analysis of the Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial (CIRT). “Methotrexate is not a benign drug, even at dosages used for rheumatic diseases,” Daniel H. Solomon, MD, MPH of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, tells Reuters Health…

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors May Decrease Gout Risk in Some Patients

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Recent research assessed the risk of gout in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus prescribed sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors compared with those prescribed a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist. The study found patients on the SGLT2 inhibitor had a lower rate of gout, suggesting SGLT2 inhibitors may actually reduce the risk of gout among this patient population…

Coding Corner Answers: Using NP/PA Services in Practice

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Take the challenge. Scenario 1—A: The nurse practitioner may act as the supervising physician if it’s within the scope of practice for the NP and should be coded as follows: CPT: 96413, 96415, J1745 x 30, J1200 x 1 Diagnosis ICD:10: M05.79 Scenario 2—A: To qualify as an incident-to service, the PA can provide the…

Coding Corner Questions: Using NP/PA Services in Practice

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Scenario 1: Direct Billing A 70-year-old female patient with rheumatoid arthritis in multiple joints and positive rheumatoid factor returns to the practice for her fourth infusion of infliximab with the nurse practitioner (NP). She reports no fevers, cough, dyspnea or concurrent illness. She rates the severity of her joint pain at 6 on a 10-point…

Don’t Miss 2020 E/M Coding Workshop in New Orleans

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Access to good training and education on practice management and coding issues has proved beneficial to physician success. Getting up-to-date information on compliance, insurance reimbursement, office efficiency, coding and billing is crucial for effective and efficient practice management. The ACR’s Committee on Rheumatologic Care (CORC) has created the premier one-day E/M Documentation Trends and Best…

VERA Aims to Expand Rheumatology Care for the Underserved

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The ACR’s Volunteers to Expand Rheumatology Access (VERA) initiative recently launched a new webpage to provide helpful information to rheumatology healthcare providers interested in volunteering to care for uninsured and under­insured patients with rheumatic disease. This resource, VolunteerRheumCare.org, provides answers to frequently asked questions related to providing free care, as well as links to organizations…

The Rheumatology Research Foundation Welcomes New Leaders

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The Rheumatology Research Foundation has appointed S. Louis Bridges Jr., MD, PhD, to serve as president for a two-year term. Dr. Bridges has served as the director of the University of Alabama–Birmingham (UAB) Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology since 2009. He is also the director of the UAB Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculo­skeletal, Bone and Autoimmunity…