AAOS Now, April 2012
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Will: Patients Should Take More Responsibility for Health Care
Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, essayist, and author George F. Will delivered a rousing keynote address on Thursday, Feb. 9, during the 2012 AAOS Annual Meeting. The self-described “gloomy conservative” railed against everything from Republicans’ lack of attention to the growing contingent of Hispanic voters to problems with Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Joking that the only reason he writes about politics is to “support his baseball habit,” Mr.
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States Take PPACA to the Supreme Court
Opponents of “ObamaCare” rejoiced in November 2011 when the U.S. Supreme Court decided to hear oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in March 2012, almost exactly 2 years after the passage of President Obama’s landmark healthcare legislation.
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The Implications of Diabetes for Orthopaedic Practice
Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic medical conditions in the United States. In addition to the disease’s direct complications, most patients also have other chronic conditions and are at an increased risk for a variety of complications such as nontraumatic limb amputations. The incidence of diabetes is increasing globally; estimates are that diabetes will affect 7.7 percent of the world’s population between the ages of 20 and 79 by 2030.
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Maximizing Your Role as a Volunteer
Although no one can predict the next terror attack or natural disaster, when a crisis does strike, the demand for orthopaedic care will be inevitable. And, as shown in the orthopaedic response to the Haitian earthquake in 2009 or the Joplin, Mo., tornado in 2011, humanitarian volunteers are always at the ready. Col. Tad L. Gerlinger, MD Do no harm Austere environments present a unique set of demands that are typically not seen in civilian settings. According to Dr.
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Second Look—Advocacy
IPAB repeal moves forward The Hill reports that the U.S. Senate is under pressure to address the issue of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). The Medicare Decisions Accountability Act—legislation to repeal the IPAB—has been sent to the full House and a vote is expected by the end of March.