Knee arthritis in boomers: A growing problem

Jennie McKee

Symposium explores trends and treatment options Knee arthritis is catching up to the youngest baby boomers—those in their 40s and 50s, said John J. Callaghan, MD, moderator of the 2008 AAOS Annual Meeting symposium Choices and Compromises for the Treatment of Knee Arthritis in the Baby Boomer. Aging boomers and an escalating obesity rate mean that orthopaedists should expect to treat record numbers of patients for this debilitating condition.

Pediatric trauma focus of Capitol Hill briefing

Fareeha Shuttari-Khan; Lindsay Law

AAOS USBJD Committee shares information, urges support “Unintentional trauma is the number one cause of death among children,” Jonathon I. Groner, MD, medical director of the pediatric trauma program in Columbus, Ohio, told Congressional staffers during a Capitol Hill Briefing held in May. “More children die from injury than the nine next leading causes of death combined.” Dr.

GOS plays key role in CON reform

Charlene MacDonald

By Charlene MacDonald AAOS grant helps fund successful effort Just hours before the 2008 Georgia state legislative session ended, the state’s medical community claimed a historic victory. More than 2 years of coalition-building and aggressive lobbying, spearheaded by the Georgia Orthopaedic Society (GOS) and the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG), resulted in overturning the state’s anticompetitive Certificate of Need (CON) law.

Issues facing America: SCHIP

Aaron Covey, MD; Samir Mehta, MD; Ryan Nunley, MD; the Washington Health Policy Fellows

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was implemented as Title XXI of the Social Security Act in 1997. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., who proposed that the initiative be funded by an increase in the cigarette tax. Key to gaining bipartisan support was Kennedy’s enlisting of both Sen.

A guide to Medicare’s DMEPOS rules

Robert S. Jasak, Esq; Marty Krawczyk

Orthopaedic surgeons face increasing hurdles to provide DMEPOS to patients Many orthopaedic surgeons provide durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) during the patient visit as a critical component of quality care. But on July 1, 2008, new rules went into effect that change how orthopaedic surgeons enroll in and bill for DMEPOS for Medicare patients.

The advantages of the quality initiative

Robert H. Haralson III, MD, MBA

Don’t let controversy overshadow the value of quality initiatives Controversy surrounds the multiple quality initiatives that exist today. Among these initiatives are the Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative, the multiple versions of pay for performance, care coordination, medical home demonstration products, and efficiency programs.