Video: Every Case Tells a Story| Webinar: ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice

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

Aetna, Seeking Antitrust Nod, Sells Medicare Drug Business to WellCare

Reuters Staff  |  

(Reuters)—Health insurer Aetna Inc said on Thursday it will sell its standalone Medicare prescription drug plan business to WellCare Health Plans Inc as it seeks U.S. antitrust approval for a planned acquisition by CVS Health Corp. The $69 billion CVS-Aetna deal would be the second large deal this year between insurers and pharmacy benefit managers,…

Depression Tied to Arthritis Pain

Marilynn Larkin  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Depressed individuals over age 50 should be screened for arthritis pain because the two conditions often occur together, worsening mental and physical health outcomes, researchers say. “Our findings shed light on the high rates of self-reported, doctor-diagnosed arthritis in U.S. older adults with varying degrees of depression,” Dr. Jessica Brooks of the…

TNFi Exposure in Utero

  |  

Vinet et al. evaluated the risk of serious infections in children of women with RA exposed to TNFi’s in the gestational period compared with unexposed offspring of women with RA, as well as with children from the general population. Although the research did not demonstrate a marked excess risk for serious infections, the authors could not exclude a differential risk according to specific TNFi, with infliximab potentially resulting in a threefold increase in the risk of serious infections compared with other TNFi’s. More studies are needed…

Fellows Find Their Voices on Capitol Hill

  |  

In 2015, as a rheumatology fellow, Christina Downey, MD, attended the inaugural ACR Advocacy 101 course, put on by rheumatologists Blair Solow, MD, and Sarah Doaty, MD. “I thought it was incredibly informative, and I was really surprised at how much legislators and staff did not know about rheumatology, or what it’s like to be…

ICD-10 Code Change Proposed

  |  

On Sept. 12, the ACR and the Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation presented an ICD-10 code change request for Sjögren’s syndrome to the ICD-10 Coordination and Maintenance Committee (C&M) at the CMS office in Baltimore. The request is intended to clarify ICD-10 M35.0: sicca syndrome [Sjögren]. Why Change the Code? The rationale behind this significant change request…

Advocates for Arthritis Push for Policy Changes at Annual Event

  |  

The ACR advocates on behalf of the rheumatology community throughout the year, but it’s always especially exciting when patients join our efforts in Washington, D.C. Close to 100 patients, rheumatologists and representatives of the broader interprofessional team traveled to our nation’s capital this week to participate in the ACR’s annual Advocates for Arthritis event. Participants…