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

From the College

Practice Page: Protecting Your Practice through Compliance

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Compliance programs are an effort by the government to maintain integrity in the healthcare system. These programs target activities causing improper payment to determine their root cause: Was it a mistake or error, was it inefficiency or waste of resources, is the provider bending the rules or abusing the system, or was it intentional deception or fraud? There are also laws dictating the compliance culture within practices and institutions; for example, red-flag rules, antikickback statute, and stark law, to name a few.

Stage 2 of the EHR Incentive Program

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Although reporting for Stage 1 of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program began just this year, the rules, objectives, and measures for Stage 2 are already being established. Last June, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology (IT) presented CMS with its recommendations for Stage 2 of the CMS EHR Incentive Program which builds on the Stage 1 objectives supporting EHR utilization for data capture and sharing.

Chicago My Way: Anne-Marie Malfait, MD, PhD, Provides Insider Info

Anne-Marie Malfait, MD, PhD  |  

Chicago is a city with remarkable shopping opportunities, upscale and trendy neighborhood boutiques, galleries, and specialty shops. Chicago’s great magic lies in its mix: sophisticated-yet-friendly, bustling city streets adjacent to long stretches of green parks and sparkling blue Lake Michigan.

REF: Looking at Recent Achievements and FInding Inspiration for the Future

E. William St.Clair, MD  |  

As the term of my presidency at the ACR Research and Education Foundation (REF) comes to an end, it’s a good time to reflect on the past two years. While it’s important to recognize the REF’s milestones and major achievements—and I will do that in a moment—great work is being done every day by rheumatologists, healthcare professionals, and investigators. It is their goal to improve the treatment and care of people impacted by rheumatic disease, and it’s our mission to provide them with the resources to support their efforts.

REF Volunteer Brings Passion for Communicating to New Program

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When the ACR REF recently sent out a call for volunteers for the newly created From the Field speakers’ bureau, Alan W. Friedman, MD, responded right away. “It’s exactly what I’ve been doing all along,” he says. “I want to bring my enthusiasm for the cause to other people.”

MUEs and Muscular Ultrasound Guidance: An Unlikely Story

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Medically Unlikely Edits (MUEs) were launched on January 1, 2007 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce the paid claims error rate for Medicare Part B claims. The function of MUEs is to detect and deny unlikely CMS claims for a Medicare patient on a single, 24-hour date of service on a prepayment basis. This is achieved by limiting the frequency of services provided by a physician or medical supply company.