Where are the savings in healthcare reform?

Alok D. Sharan, MD; Ryan M. Nunley, MD

Can potential savings offset the immense cost of reform? The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed by President Obama represents the first attempt at comprehensive healthcare reform since the administration of President Lyndon Johnson. Through this legislation, an estimated 32 million additional Americans will be covered by some type of health insurance, leaving only 5 percent of the population without any coverage.

FDA changes Advisory Committee process

On May 1, 2010, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) implemented changes to their advisory committee process. According to the agency, the changes were prompted by the increasing number of medical device advisory panel meetings in recent years. In 2008, 10 panel meetings were held, covering 14 major topics. In 2009, 17 meetings were held on 20 topics, and 2010 is on track to surpass those numbers.

WSOA earns Achievement Award

Maureen Leahy

Recognized for efforts to preserve physician-owned physical therapy The Washington State Orthopaedic Association (WSOA) was honored with the 2010 State Orthopaedic Achievement Award for its role in funding litigation to preserve physician-owned physical therapy services (POPTS). John W. Adkison, MD, president of the WSOA, accepted the award, which was presented during the National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.

Advocacy in the states

Georgia The Georgia Supreme Court struck down that state’s $350,000 cap on noneconomic damages. The state’s high court ruled that such limits violate the constitutional guarantee of trial by jury and cited the state constitution’s comprehensive constitutional jury trial provisions.

Second Look—Advocacy

If you missed these Headline News Now items the first time around, AAOS Now gives you a second chance to review them. Headline News Now—the AAOS thrice-weekly, online update of news of interest to orthopaedic surgeons—brings you the latest on clinical, socioeconomic, and political issues, as well as important announcements from AAOS.

Connecticut Orthopaedic Society’s ED wins award

Maureen Leahy

Susan Schaffman, executive director (ED) of the Connecticut Orthopaedic Society (COS), was honored as the 2010 Executive Director of the Year during the National Ortho-paedic Leadership Conference inWashington, D.C. Ms. Schaffmanwas recognized for her many administrative accomplishments, which—according to COS President Brian G. Smith, MD—have guided the orthopaedic society to its current state of excellence. During her 7-year tenure as ED, Ms.

What does the future hold for physicians?

Mary Ann Porucznik

Orthopaedists from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., April 28–May 1, 2010, for the National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference (NOLC). It was an opportunity for many to meet with their congressional representatives and press for action on issues such as the Medicare physician payment formula, the Access to America’s Orthopaedic Services (AAOS) Act, and the Health Information Technology (HITECH) Act.

Docs on brink again

As this issue of AAOS Now went to press, physicians were once again facing a 21.2 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement rates, beginning June 1, 2010. So far this year, the cuts have been delayed three times; a measure that would have postponed application of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula until 2014 was facing stiff opposition in both the House and Senate. AAOS has consistently called for the repeal and replacement of the flawed SGR formula.