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

2019 Changes to E/M Documentation

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As of Jan. 1, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement several coding and documentation policies to provide immediate burden reduction to providers. The 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (MPFS) released Nov. 1, 2018, by the CMS contained significant changes to the Medicare Part B coding and documentation policies…

Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Allow Government to Block Drug Price Rises

Reuters Staff  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—Four Democratic U.S. senators introduced a bill on Thursday that would allow the government to block drug price increases that it decides are unjustified. The bill sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Jeff Merkley, all Democrats, would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to prohibit drug price increases…

Big Data Drives New Research

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Big data can benefit rheumatology research. But according to experts at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, the data must first be accessible, interoperable and shareable…

ACR Delegates Move Rheumatology Concerns Forward at AMA

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At the AMA’s recent House of Delegates Interim Meeting, the ACR’s delegation was able to incorporate rheumatology concerns into official AMA policy, in addition to leading a major multi-specialty resolution on the CMS-proposed move to consolidate and cut evaluation and management (E/M) services. The ACR is able to make this progress because members of the…

Suleman Bhana, MD, FACR, Brings a Fresh Perspective as CMC Chair

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Chairing the ACR’s Communications and Marketing Committee (CMC) can be a monumental task: The CMC is responsible for both internal and external communications to a variety of people, including rheumatology providers, patients, lawmakers, the pharmaceutical industry and others. But the CMC’s newest chair, Suleman Bhana, MD, FACR, is up for the job. The Rheumatologist recently…

Committee on Rheumatologic Care Helps Establish Principles & Position Statements

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The ACR’s Committee on Rheumatologic Care (CORC) has been busy on many fronts, including establishing new position statements for the College, introducing new practice perspectives and engaging multiple stakeholders in actions to protect and enhance rheumatology practice, such as with payers. “CORC ensures the rheumatology voice is heard in all of the most critical venues,”…

Swamy Venuturupalli, MD: Improving Access to Education

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Early in his medical career, Swamy Venuturupalli, MD, sought clinical direction toward a specialty that allowed him to look at the patient in multiple domains, and he found a perfect fit in rheumatology. His passion for understanding the many aspects of rheumatic disease led Dr. Venuturupalli to become actively involved in the Rheumatology Fellowship Program…