Grassroots movement takes on PPACA

Peter Pollack

Signed into law on March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is a signature piece of legislation for President Obama. Yet a number of the Act’s provisions have proven controversial, including the mandate for most Americans to carry health insurance beginning in 2014. Since 2006, Eric Novack, MD, has been deeply involved in healthcare reform efforts in Arizona and around the country.

The Affordable Care Act and Medical Devices: What you need to know as an Orthopaedic Surgeon

Manish K. Sethi, MD; Alex A. Jahangir, MD; William T. Obremskey, MD

What orthopaedic surgeons need to know HR 3200 (ultimately passed as HR 3590, public law 111-148)—the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010—has been widely discussed in the context of the dramatic changes it will make in the insurance coverage of millions of Americans.

Could you be liable under CERT?

John Cherf, MD; Matthew Twetten, MA

Billing errors could result in a request for repayment Recently, the AAOS received a report of an orthopaedic provider who had three claims for joint replacement surgery flagged for CERT (Comprehensive Error Rate Testing) violations. The payer, Highmark Medicare, demanded retroactive payment from both the hospital and orthopaedic surgeon for the orthopaedic care of the patients involved.

U.S. joint registry goes live

Laura Khoshaba

On Dec. 20, 2010, St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Conn., the first pilot site for the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR), submitted the first data on arthroplasty patients. Local surgeon champion Courtland G. Lewis, MD, and staff champion Stephanie Caminiti helped make this possible. St. Francis is one of 15 pilot sites that will be brought online during the next several weeks and that will submit hip and knee replacement data over the next several months.

Spotlighting the new GOP-controlled House

Madeleine Lovette

Republicans pledge healthcare repeal, promise reforms On Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, the 112th Congress officially opened for business—and House representatives wasted no time. The changing of the leadership from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to current House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), prompted Republicans to begin delivering on their campaign promises to repeal and replace healthcare reform, decrease spending, and increase transparency.

Did State of Union mark shift in approach?

Jamie Gregorian

On Jan. 26, President Obama delivered his “State of the Union” address. In his first speech to a divided Congress, the president called for a “new era of cooperation,” urging members to “work together tomorrow” to “take on challenges that have been decades in the making.” President Obama called for a 5-year freeze in domestic spending—which would not include Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and defense.

AAOS, Alliance members meet with FDA

William M. Mihalko MD, PhD; Katherine Sale; Jeanie Kennedy

Addressing concerns on changes to the 510(k) process On Dec. 17, 2010, William M. Mihalko, MD, PhD, representing the AAOS and the Alliance of Specialty Medicine, along with other surgeon members and society representatives had a unique opportunity to meet with Jeffrey Shuren, MD, JD, director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).