The Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry is a constantly evolving resource, and many valuable offerings are being made available at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in Chicago. Here’s a list of things you won’t want to miss: RISE Booth in the Discovery Center Join RISE at the ACR Discovery Center inside the exhibit…
Down Time at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting: What to See & Do in Chicago
With the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting nearly upon us, the time has come to plan your trip to Chicago. The Annual Meeting is Oct. 19–24 at McCormick Center, which means attendees will see beautiful views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline, highlighting the city’s unique architecture. The weather in October, although unpredictable, is generally…
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…
Advocates for Arthritis Fly-In Event Benefits Rheumatology Patients
Pendaar Pooyan was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in elementary school. He learned to ask for what he needed: use of a computer in class because of wrist pain and a locker that didn’t require him to bend down so far. And he learned to talk about his disease. This helped make participating for…
Maryland Gets an A; Most States Receive a C on ACR’s 1st Rheumatic Disease Report Card
In a first-of-its-kind report card, the ACR shows that many changes are needed for states to improve patient access to affordable and effective rheumatology care…
ACR & NPF Highlight Medicare Access Challenges in Capitol Hill Briefing
Concerns about how the Trump administration’s ideas to lower drug prices could reduce patient access to medicines led the ACR to speak out on many different fronts. On June 25, at a briefing hosted by the ACR and the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF), a packed room of Congressional staffers and reporters learned from rheumatologists and…
Join Us for an Advanced Rheumatology Coding & Practice Management Summit in Chicago
Before the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting gets started in Chicago in October, the ACR’s pre-meeting practice management and coding courses offer an intensive educational opportunity. The Oct. 19–20 sessions, ACR Coding Course: Unlock the Mysteries of Advanced Coding for Rheumatology and Practice Management: Putting the Pieces Together—Winning Strategies for Rheumatology Practices, are the industry’s premier events…
ACR/ARHP Visits the Hill; Drug Pricing ‘Blueprint’ Revealed
Greetings, Advocates! In my last update, I described the great news from February’s budget agreement that fixed Medicare’s payment adjustments so MIPS penalties would not include Part B drug costs, ensuring stabilization of the Medicare Part B drug system, among other successes. (Read the ACR’s press release on this topic.) I also described the Trump administration’s…
UnitedHealthcare Implementing Risk Adjustment Audit Program
Beginning in June 2018, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) will implement their risk adjustment data validation (RADV) audit program. UHC states that through the mandatory requirement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Medicare Advantage health plans will be reviewed for supporting medical documentation to check for accurately reported patient data. UHC will send requests…
ACR/ARHP Heads to D.C. for Advocacy Leadership Conference
ACR/ARHP leaders are once again heading to Washington, D.C., to advocate for legislation important to rheumatologists and their patients. On May 16–18, more than 100 representatives of the ACR Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Government Affairs Committee, RheumPAC, Committee on Rheumatologic Care, Insurance Subcommittee and Affiliate Society Council and others will talk to members of…