Today’s Top Story
CMS: Physician groups have less than 1 week left to register for PQRS GPRO and avoid 2017 payment penalty.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is reminding eligible provider groups that they have until June 30 to register to participate in the 2015 Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO) via the Physician Value—Physician Quality Reporting System (PV-PQRS) registration system. PQRS GPRO is an option available to groups with two or more eligible professionals. Groups must meet the satisfactory reporting criteria through the PQRS GPRO to avoid a 2.0 percent negative payment adjustment for calendar year 2017. Read more…
Other News
House approves bills to abolish IPAB and medical device tax.
The Hill reports that the U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bill to abolish the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)—a panel called for under the Affordable Care Act that would have the authority to propose cuts to Medicare if spending growth exceeds certain levels. Cuts made by the panel could only be overridden by a three-fifths majority vote of both houses of Congress. In addition, as reported in MedPage Today, last week the House voted to repeal the medical device tax—a 2.3 percent excise tax charged to makers and importers of certain medical devices, including hip and knee arthroplasty devices. Both bills must be approved by the U.S. Senate. President Obama has threatened to veto both bills if they are approved by Congress. Read more in The Hill…
Read more in MedPage Today…
The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons has issued a statement in response to the IPAB repeal vote. Read more…
Study: How does use of a tourniquet affect recovery after TKA?
A study published online in the journal Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research compares the use of tourniquet or no tourniquet during total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The authors conducted a prospective, randomized study of 28 patients (mean age 62 years) who underwent same-day, bilateral TKA. Patients received a tourniquet-assisted TKA on one lower extremity with the contralateral limb undergoing TKA without extended tourniquet use. The authors found that during the first 3 months postoperative, quadriceps strength was slightly lower in the tourniquet group compared with the no-tourniquet group. However, hamstring strength did not differ between groups at any time point. In addition, they found that there was less estimated intraoperative blood loss in the tourniquet group compared to the no-tourniquet group, but no difference in total blood loss between cohorts. Read the abstract…
Study: Information on patients’ use of dietary supplements may be inconsistently gathered.
Findings published in the journal Patient Education and Counseling suggest that healthcare providers may be inconsistent in acquiring information on patents’ use of dietary supplements. The researchers analyzed information on 558 inpatients recruited from the Re-Engineered Discharge clinical trial, and found that 60 percent reported using dietary supplements. However, only 6 percent of participants were asked, disclosed, and had documentation of supplements. Overall, 36 percent had admission dietary supplement documentation, 20 percent were asked about use at admission, 18 percent reported disclosing use to a provider, and 48 percent reported they intended to continue to use dietary supplements. Read more…
Read the abstract…
New York.
The New York Daily News reports on a bill under consideration in the New York State Senate that would, if enacted, begin the statute of limitations in medical liability suits at the point in time that the patient discovers possible harm. Currently, the state bases the statute of limitations on the point at which the harm allegedly occurred. Overall, 44 states have adopted so-called “date of discovery” laws. Read more…
Your help is needed! Voting reopened on AAOS resolutions and bylaws.
Balloting on AAOS resolutions and bylaw amendments has reopened. A vote of at least 20 percent of fellows is required for an official vote. If you have not voted, please help by casting your ballot to retain or rescind AAOS resolutions or bylaw amendments. The ballot should take no more than 2 minutes of your time. Cast your ballot…(member login required)
Call for volunteers to help develop AUC for Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
The Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) Section seeks AAOS fellows to participate on the writing panel of the Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome AUC. The writing panel is responsible for constructing a comprehensive patient factors list and a treatment list for carpal tunnel syndrome. Writing panel members will be required to construct and review materials, correspond with AAOS staff electronically, and participate in approximately five to 10 conference calls, spanning 1 to 3 months, to produce the AUC materials. Members should have experience treating patients for carpal tunnel syndrome. Nominees for the writing panel may have relevant conflicts and will be required to complete the AAOS conflict of interest enhanced disclosure form online. To participate, please contact Erica Linskey by Monday, Aug. 3, 2015, at linskey@aaos.org.
Call for volunteers: International Committee.
July 31 is the last day to submit your application for a position on the International Committee (chair, three member openings). The International Committee oversees a variety of international education initiatives, including education programs and humanitarian activities. Applicants for the chair opening must be active fellows, emeritus fellows, or international affiliate members with a demonstrated knowledge of international global orthopaedic issues and leaders. Applicants for the member openings must be active fellows, resident members, resident members osteopathic, candidate member applicants for fellowship, candidate member applicants for fellowship osteopathic, or international affiliate members. Learn more and submit your application…(member login required)
