In several U.S. states, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and other insurers have dropped or are considering dropping coverage of hyaluronic acid injection—or viscosupplementation—for patients with knee osteoarthritis. The decision appears to be based on guidelines published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 2013, which at that time specified that research had not found hyaluronic… [Read More]
Kelly Tyrrell writes about health, science and health policy. Based in Madison, Wis., she has a BS in zoology from the University of Florida and an MS in cellular and molecular biology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 2011, she was a mass media dcience and engineering fellow with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), reporting for the Chicago Tribune. Ms. Tyrrell has also worked as a health and science reporter for the News Journal (Gannett) in Wilmington, DE, a freelance reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and a science writer for UW-Madison.
Articles by Kelly Tyrrell
ACR Seeks CMS Exemption to Perform Synovial Fluid Crystal Analysis
Marcus Snow, MD, is a rheumatologist in a multispecialty clinic in Nebraska. During the average day, the nephrologist in his clinic can assess urinary sediment. The urologist can examine semen specimens for viability. However, despite clinical training and competency, Dr. Snow and his rheumatology colleagues cannot perform synovial fluid crystal analysis for their patients. The… [Read More]
Nurse Practitioner Chose Rheumatology in Last Clinical Rotation
When Jeanne Scott first entered nursing school, she planned to become a women’s health nurse practitioner. She was not expecting her final clinical placement in rheumatology to change the entire course of her career. “Truthfully, I did not understand what rheumatology practitioners did until this introduction to the field,” says Ms. Scott, who describes being… [Read More]
Running a Big Rheumatology Practice Requires Learning, Communication
If you had asked Ray Waldrup in 1981 what he would be doing in 2018, serving as the CEO of the largest rheumatology practice in the U.S. would probably not have been his first guess. Back then, as a young college student in Georgia, Mr. Waldrup took a job at a national jewelry retailer and… [Read More]
Affiliate Society Council Meeting Provides Motivation, Fellowship, Opportunity
On Wednesday, May 16, 2018, the ACR’s Affiliate Society Council (ASC) convened a meeting in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the ACR’s Advocacy Leadership Conference. Despite inclement weather that delayed or cancelled numerous flights, several rheumatology representatives from states across the U.S. attended the meeting in person, while others participated by conference call. “It was… [Read More]
Pediatric Rheumatologist Dr. Lynn Punaro Loves a Good Mystery
When Marilynn “Lynn” Punaro, MD, MACR, isn’t working with medical students, seeing patients in the clinic, participating in translational research or performing leadership duties, she’s enjoying a good book—especially a good mystery. This shouldn’t be a surprise. It was mystery that led Dr. Punaro to a career in pediatric rheumatology more than 30 years ago,… [Read More]
New Compounding Regulations could Adversely Affect Rheumatologists, Patients
On July 28, 2018, the USP will publish preliminary updates to existing drug compounding standards that could affect whether rheumatologists maintain the ability to mix, combine or otherwise customize medications in office for individual patient use. The ACR, in concert with the American Medical Association (AMA) and others, is working to help ensure rheumatologists can… [Read More]
New Life for the Michigan Rheumatism Society
Amar Majjhoo, MD, had just completed his rheumatology fellowship in 2005 when he attended his first meeting of the Michigan Rheumatism Society. “I thought it was exciting that we had a state society, because to me, everything was new,” says the Michigan-based, private practice rheumatologist. “Having a meeting where established doctors were sitting around was… [Read More]
Arkansas PBM Bill: A Step in the Right Direction
During a three-day special legislative session in March, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) signed into law the first bill in the U.S. intended to address a lack of transparency among pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their role in the high cost of prescription drugs.1 The bill, H.B. 1010: Arkansas Pharmacy Benefits Manager Licensure Act, will… [Read More]
The ACR’s 2018 Legislative & Regulatory Priorities
A recent Politico article outlined the looming agenda facing Congress as 2018 begins: Fund the government, raise the debt ceiling, modify spending caps, address healthcare subsidies, allocate additional funds for disaster relief, and address the status of millions of undocumented young immigrants.1 Amid all that activity, the ACR, through its Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and… [Read More]
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