Speakers addressed major challenges in coverage and payment facing rheumatology practices, including financial management and obstacles to patient access to treatment.
Open Now: New Federal Loan Repayment Program for Pediatric Rheumatologists
This program offers loan assistance of up to $100,000 to eligible pediatric medical subspecialists in exchange for a three-year, full-time service commitment at an approved facility in an underserved area. Pediatric rheumatologists are encouraged to apply.
Community Practice Council Holds First Meeting
The April 29 meeting included 13 CPC members, representatives from the ACR Board of Directors and the chairs of the ACR Committee on Rheumatologic Care and its Insurance Subcommittee. The group is part of an expanded effort to ensure the ACR is meeting the needs of rheumatologists in independent practice.
After Pushback, Cigna Delays Modifier 25 Policy Changes
After significant pushback from the AMA, ACR and other medical societies, Cigna has delayed implementation of changes to its modifier 25 reimbursement policy, originally scheduled to take effect May 25.
Talking to Patients About Medicare Choices: Q&A with the Arthritis Foundation’s Nick Turkas, MS
Access to care is critical for treating arthritis and other chronic rheumatic conditions. That’s why choosing the best Medicare plan fit is such an important decision. Use these tips from the Arthritis Foundation’s Nick Turkas, MS, to help your patients make their best choice for insurance coverage.
Charting a New Course Post-PHE
The public health emergency (PHE), in place since 2020, officially expired at midnight on May 11. The PHE declaration allowed significant flexibility in the healthcare system. The end of the PHE impacts several policies, including changes in Medicare and Medicaid policies. What do these changes mean for providers?
Large Language Models in Medicine: The potential to reduce workloads, leverage the EMR for better communication & more
Large language models are a type of AI that allows users to generate new content, drawing from a huge dataset to learn how to mimic “natural language” with many possible beneficial applications for this technology in medicine.
Letter to the Editor: A Workforce Shortage Solution
The issue of the rheumatology workforce shortage is certainly vexing. Not only does it leave large segments of the population without adequate care for patients with serious rheumatic diseases, but it also increases the burden on the few rheumatologists who serve populous, underserved regions of the country. Solutions suggested in The Rheumatologist (“ACR Workforce Solutions…
Value-Based Care Continues to Evolve in Rheumatology
Value-based care in rheumatology continues to evolve, and rheumatologists can stay active with advocacy efforts behind value-based care and other government relations initiatives.
ACR Insurance Subcommittee Tackles Known Issues
During a busy start to 2023, the ISC has been advocating with payers to address multiple coverage and reimbursement challenges facing rheumatology practices, including Cigna’s modifier 25 requirements, hydroxychloroquine access and coverage for apremilast combination therapy.