In response to the required changes in reimbursement from fee for service to value-based payment under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, the ACR is exploring development of a rheumatology-specific alternative payment model (APM) for rheumatologists and practices, which would provide an additional option for payment other than the Merit-Based Incentive…
Mary Beth Nierengarten is a writer, editor and journalist with over 25 years of medical communications experience. She is a regular contributor to a number of online and print publications and writes in most clinical areas, as well as on health policy and economic issues. She lives in Minneapolis and can be reached at [email protected].
Articles by Mary Beth Nierengarten
Stem Cell Transplantation Shown to Improve Outcomes in Systemic Sclerosis
Rheumatologists now have another treatment option to offer their patients with one of, if not the most, difficult autoimmune diseases to treat. New data add to the growing evidence of the safety and benefit of stem cell transplantation for patients with systemic sclerosis with internal organ involvement. New results of the Scleroderma: Cyclophosphamide or Transplantation…
Institute for Clinical Economic Review Final Report on RA Treatments
On April 7, 2017, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) published its final report, titled, Targeted Immune Modulators for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Effectiveness & Value.1 The stated objective of the report was to assess the comparative clinical effectiveness of the targeted immune modulators (TIMs) used to treat patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid…
Studies Highlight Risk of Damage from Lupus Treatments
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Conference goers who braved the final day of the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting were awarded for their stamina by learning about issues relating to the damage caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) during the session Systemic Lupus Erythematosus—Clinical Aspects and Treatment V: Damage and Morbidity. Minimizing Damage: Early Use of GC-Sparing Strategies Jayne Little,…
Biomarkers, Genetic Clues to Higher Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Patients with Lupus
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Experts at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting session, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus—Clinical Aspects and Treatment IV: Biomarkers, reported on a number of recent studies showing advancement in our understanding of the disease mechanisms underlying systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that place these patients at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other comorbidities. Mechanisms of CVD Risk…
Drug Reduction Strategies, Disease Control for Patients with RA in Remission
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Clinical aspects of managing patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in remission were discussed by a panel of experts at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting during the session titled Rheumatoid Arthritis—Clinical Aspects IV: Managing Patients in Remission. Among the issues raised were strategies to taper or discontinue biologic therapies, as well as clinical predictors of…
Clinical Trial Data Provides Insight into Muscle Biology, Myositis, Myopathies
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Ongoing investigation into the disease mechanisms of inflammatory myopathies is generating needed information for the development of potential future therapeutic targets, and current data from clinical trials have shed light on myopathy concerns in different cohorts of patients. These issues were all discussed in a session titled Muscle Biology, Myositis, and Myopathies I during…
Quality Measures Used to Assess Care, Improve Outcomes in Children, Adults with Rheumatic Diseases
WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a session during the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, aptly called Quality Measures and Quality of Care I, a panel of experts presented information on a number of programs underway in rheumatology using quality measures to both assess and improve patient outcomes. Leading off were two presentations on programs using quality measures to improve…
ACR Joins Opposition to Proposed Healthcare Replacement Bill as Written
The ACR is joining a chorus of voices asking Congress to reconsider several key provisions in the proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA) that it feels could have a detrimental effect on patients. Characterized as a replacement to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the AHCA eliminates a number of provisions found in the ACA, although…
A New Administration Brings Updated ACR Policy Positions
The ACR continues to broaden its advocacy efforts on issues critical to rheumatology, as described in updates to its 2017 health policy statements. Along with continuing to advocate for access to care and treatments, enhancements to rheumatology research and training the next generation of rheumatologists, the 2017 health policy statements address a number of new…
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