Corrections to reimbursement system errors with Aetna and a Medicare contractor demonstrate the latest wins for all providers by the ACR’s Insurance Subcommittee. But the committee remains hard at work advocating for rheumatologists on several fronts.
Making Sense of Drug Pricing Legislation
A number of bills have been introduced in the 116th Congress to mitigate the impact of treatment and drug costs on U.S. patients. The ACR has reviewed the bills and supports those that most closely align with its positions on access to care.
Hot Topics, Fresh Formats: ACR/ARP Annual Meeting Clinical Session Preview
The clinical sessions at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting feature cutting-edge techniques in rheumatology and enable attendees to hone new skills and explore medically relevant topics…
Basic Science Sessions: Diverse Topics, Wide Appeal
Machine learning, immunology, the metabolism—are just a few of the topics addressed during…
Medicare Patient Costs Lower at Teaching Hospitals
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The overall 30-day costs of caring for Medicare patients are lower at teaching hospitals, according to data from the Medicare inpatient file. “We found it really interesting that the lower costs seen at major teaching hospitals was driven primarily by lower costs after discharge from the hospital,” Dr. Laura G. Burke from…
Get Members Involved: That’s How Nevada Is Growing Its State Society
In April 2019, the Rheumatology Association of Nevada (RAN) hosted its fourth annual meeting. “We had the largest-ever number of attendees,” says RAN President Tim Kelly, MD, a rheumatologist in Las Vegas. Launched in 2016, RAN continues to grow, and Dr. Kelly hopes to see the statewide organization do more. “We want to expand our…

Dr. Guillermo Valenzuela: Truffle Hunter, Tennis Player, Motorcycle Tourist
Some would call Guillermo J. Valenzuela, MD, a hunter of sorts. He has accompanied men and their dogs into the forests of Italy in search of white truffles, an underground fungus considered a European delicacy. “Years ago, when visiting my wife’s family in Italy, I walked into a very old restaurant in Parma,” says Dr….

In Memoriam: Harold Edward Paulus, MD
Harold Edward Paulus, MD, professor of medicine (emeritus) at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), died April 5, 2019. During his nearly 90 years of life, he contributed hugely to clinical science and patient care in rheumatology. Hal was crazy smart. And if he had an idea, that idea had to be nurtured and expanded….

Advocacy Leads to Legislator Access
We have often heard it said that opportunity arises from challenges. Challenge, of course, is really just a polite way of saying problem—and for our patients, problems abound when it comes to obtaining timely and affordable access to the rheumatologic care they need. Access in this context has many meanings: There is access to life-changing…
CMS Rule Reflects ACR’s Advocacy, but More Patient Protections Needed
In August 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it would permit Medicare Advantage plans to use step therapy for Part B drugs, with a lookback period of just 108 days.1 On May 16, 2019, however, the CMS issued a final rule that extends the lookback period for Part B therapies to 365…
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