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

2016 Deadline Imposed by Meaningful Use Program Requires Immediate Attention: Sign Up for 2 Registries by Feb. 29 or Expect Financial Penalty

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Meaningful Use may be changing but it is not going away—yet. Rheumatologists must sign up with two of three registries by Feb. 29 or pay significant financial penalties for not complying with this specific part of the Meaningful Use requirements. The three choices for registries include the Immunization Registry, the Syndromic Surveillance Registry and a…

Aetna’s Deal for Humana May Push Up Costs for Seniors

Diane Bartz  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—Aetna Inc.’s plan to buy smaller insurer Humana Inc. for $31 billion will mean seniors will pay higher Medicare Advantage premiums, according to a new report by the think tank Center for American Progress (CAP). Aetna’s proposed deal for Humana would combine Aetna’s 7% of the Medicare Advantage market with Humana’s 19%, and make…

Five Charged in U.S. with Stealing Secrets from GlaxoSmithKline

Bill Berkrot  |  

REUTERS—Five people, including two former GlaxoSmithKline researchers, were charged with a scheme to steal trade secrets from the British drugmaker for potential sale in China, according to indictments announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The indictments include charges of conspiracy to steal trade secrets, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to…

U.S. Government Suspends Enrollment in Cigna Medicare Advantage, Drug Plans

Caroline Humer  |  

(Reuters)—The U.S. government has suspended new enrollment in Cigna Corp’s Medicare Advantage health plans for seniors and standalone Medicare prescription drug plans, citing noncompliance in its appeals and grievances procedures. The government said Cigna had deficiencies in its appeals and grievances processes in both Medicare Advantage and the Medicare prescription drug program, according to a…

How to Avoid Legal Pitfalls

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In busy rheumatology practices, mountains of paperwork for insurance companies and federal healthcare programs make it hard to keep track of what’s legal. Missing documentation is the most common way to spark an investigation. Here are a few considerations to help you avoid legal pitfalls…

Small Increased Risk for CIN & Cervical CA with TNF Inhibitors

Laura Newman  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and those taking a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor are at increased risk of cervical cancer, according to a study from Sweden. “Whether this (the increase in invasive cancers) was due to the TNF inhibitors, disease severity, or…

U.S. Top Court Rejects New Challenge to Obamacare

Lawrence Hurley  |  

WASHINGTON (Reuters)—The U.S. Supreme Court, which delivered major rulings in 2012 and 2015 preserving President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law, on Tuesday declined to take up a new, long-shot challenge to Obamacare brought by an Iowa artist. The court turned away an appeal by Matt Sissel, who had asserted that the 2010 Affordable Care Act…

Secukinumab Receives 2 New Approvals: PsA & AS

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The FDA approved secukinumab (Cosentyx) this past week for the treatment of adults with active ankylosing spondylitis and active psoriatic arthritis. These two new approvals are based on the safety and efficacy outcomes from four placebo-controlled Phase 3 trials in more than 1,500 adults with AS or PsA…

Patients Are Essential to Grassroots Advocacy

Kelly Weselman, MD  |  

In 2015, ACR members were powerful advocates on important issues affecting public health and rheumatology. But we should not forget about an important resource—patients, each of whom can bring unique perspectives to legislators in Washington, D.C. Working together, our voices are stronger. Here’s how your patients can work with the ACR to advocate for their health and rheumatology…