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

Delaware Sues Opioid Manufacturers, Distributors Over Epidemic

Nate Raymond  |  

(Reuters)—Delaware on Friday became the latest state to file a lawsuit accusing corporations of helping fuel the national opioid epidemic, suing a wide range of companies involved in making, distributing and selling prescription painkillers.1 The lawsuit, filed by Delaware Attorney General Matt Denn in a state court, targeted drugmakers Purdue Pharma LP and Endo International…

Use Epidural Steroid Injections Cautiously in Patients with Fracture Risk

Scott Baltic  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Use of epidural steroid injections (ESIs) “should be approached with prudence,” particularly in patients who are at risk for osteoporotic fractures, such as women of postmenopausal age, according to authors of a systematic review. Although the literature presents a mixed picture, ESIs in doses as low as 80 mg methylprednisolone equivalents seem…

Kentucky Accuses McKesson of Helping Fuel the Opioid Epidemic

Nate Raymond  |  

(Reuters)—Kentucky’s attorney general on Monday accused drug distributor McKesson Corp. of helping fuel the opioid epidemic by failing to halt shipments of suspiciously large or frequent orders by pharmacies of prescription painkillers. The complaint by Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear was filed in a state court and was one of a flurry of lawsuits by…

2018 CPT Coding Updates

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Each year the American Medical Association’s CPT code manual is revised to delete codes and/or guidelines, and to add or revise codes to reflect current technologies, techniques and services. Medicare and all other payers are switching to the new 2018 CPT codes for X-rays of the chest. The original codes for a chest X-ray were…

Ethics Forum: Should Doctors Recommend Fitness/Diet Monitoring Devices?

Sara M. Rothberger, PhD, Linda S. Ehrlich-Jones, RN, PhD, & Christine A. Pellegrini, PhD  |  

The Case A 58-year-old patient with knee osteoarthritis has been decreasing her physical activity over the past several years due to painful joints, which has resulted in significant weight gain. At her appointment, you encourage her to engage in more physical activity and eat a well-balanced diet. A few weeks later, the patient returns to…

E6011 & Tocilizumab Monotherapy Studies Show Promising Results for RA Patients

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New RA Antibody Treatment SAN DIEGO—A recent study examined the pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy of E6011, an anti-fractalkine monoclonal antibody designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA).1 Researchers presented the results of this first 52-week trial of E6011 at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in November. Fractalkine (CX3CL1/FKN) is a chemokine that regulates chemo­taxis and adhesion…

Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act Preparation Tips

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The ABCs of MACRA The transition year under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) is at an end. MACRA repealed the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) methodology for updates to the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and replaced it with a value-driven payment system. The new approach to payment is called the…

Electronic Health Record Documentation Guidelines

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The operations management team in healthcare practices is expected to have an effective coding compliance program in place that is continually evaluated and reevaluated. To accurately assess the program’s effectiveness, several outcome indicators must be measured, including error rates in the provider’s documentation and the electronic health record (EHR). Due to increased scrutiny by the…