Humans may fear change as a general rule, but we’re adaptable when we need to be. In this era of COVID-19 and social distancing, medical practices and payers are adapting to an increased use of telemedicine, which enables providers to see their patients without being in a room with them. To cope, the Centers for…
The COVID-19 global pandemic is forcing telemedicine-only connections with patients and bringing existing rheumatology research to a standstill. However, these challenges are spurring opportunity and innovation, according to Vaneet K. Sandhu, MD, FACR, RhMSUS, director of rheumatology clinical operations at Riverside University Health System and associate fellowship program director in rheumatology at Loma Linda University…
How are rheumatology professionals affected by the physical distancing and other challenges presented by COVID-19? The Rheumatologist interviewed Adena Batterman, MSW, LCSW, senior manager of inflammatory arthritis support and education programs at the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, to discuss how the pandemic has changed the way she and her staff maintain continuity of…
The Medicare statute states that items and services provided to beneficiaries must be “reasonable and necessary” to qualify for reimbursement. Although the Medicare program determines in specific cases whether an item or service is reasonable and necessary, it also issues policies, called coverage determinations, to instruct Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) what to reimburse providers for….
Investing in rheumatology training is essential to building a strong and capable workforce. Clinician educators are responsible for developing educational programs, instructing rheumatologists to meet accreditation standards and promoting an atmosphere of quality care for patients. Although clinician educators play a critical role in attracting the next generation of rheumatology professionals, faculty pursuing careers as…
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities. This law, and amendments passed in 2008, resulted in rules and regulations opening access to private settings serving the public, including doctors’ offices and medical facilities. The ADA includes a three-pronged definition of disability. If any…
A recent study reinforces the growing understanding that the fatigue many SLE patients experience should be considered a lupus symptom. Researchers found that using patient-reported outcomes to identify type 2 symptoms of SLE may improve patient communication, understanding and overall care…
On April 1, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) announced updates to its Orencia policy, effective July 1, 2020. The change requires patients to fail to respond to the self-administered formulation of this drug prior to obtaining authorization for the physician-administered product. The ACR has been in communication with UHC about this policy since October 2019, when the payer…
Rheumatic disease affects not just the body, but can also compound psychiatric disturbances, including depression, anxiety, fatigue and more, possibly making the underlying disease worse…
Effective immediately, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has stated it will not impose any noncompliance penalties under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) on physicians using any non-public facing service or audio or video communication technology (e.g., Apple FaceTime, Skype, Facebook Messenger, etc.) for telehealth services. This discretion applies to telehealth…