Resurgens Orthopaedics Returns to Washington, D.C.

Douglas W. Lundy, MD, MBA

Resurgens Orthopaedics is a large single-specialty orthopaedic practice in the metropolitan Atlanta area. We see engaging in political advocacy for the benefit of patients and the physicians who care for them as part of our mission. For many years, Resurgens has hosted in-district meetings with elected officials, even providing tours of our facilities and surgery centers. More recently, Resurgens physicians began travelling to Washington, D.C., to experience political advocacy at the next level.

The ACA in 2015: Where Does It Stand?

Elizabeth Fassbender

Implementation is proceeding, but not without problems Elizabeth Fassbender The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 has led to sweeping changes in the U.S. healthcare system, yet many questions about its implementation remain. Where do things stand now? What can orthopaedic surgeons expect in the coming year? What about the legal challenges to the ACA? How might the upcoming elections impact implementation?

Halbig v. Burwell: An Update on Legal Challenges to the Affordable Care Act

Julie Balch Samora, MD, PhD, MPH; David B. Bumpass, MD

In 2010, Congress enacted the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) with the goal of increasing the number of Americans with health insurance and decreasing the cost of health care. Since then, numerous court cases have challenged various provisions of the ACA. Perhaps the most notable was National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius on the constitutionality of the individual insurance mandate, a key provision of the ACA. Now, Halbig v.

Second Look—Advocacy

Study questions evidence base for innovative devices A study published online in The BMJ finds a lack of high-quality evidence supporting the use of five substantial, well-known, and already implemented device innovations in orthopaedics—ceramic-on-ceramic bearings (hip), modular femoral necks (hip), uncemented monoblock cups (hip), high flexion knee replacement, and gender-specific knee replacement.

What’s Ahead for Orthopaedic Payments?

Elizabeth Fassbender; Mary Ann Porucznik

How are orthopaedic surgeons going to be paid in the future? What programs will affect the individual orthopaedic surgeon’s income? Will payments become a “zero-sum game” in which some orthopaedic surgeons are winners and others are losers? These and other questions were addressed during the AAOS Board of Councilors (BOC)/Board of Specialty Societies (BOS) Fall Meeting symposium on “The Changing Landscape of Payment Strategies.”

Problems Overshadow Sunshine Act Data

Elizabeth Fassbender

The Open Payments (Sunshine Act) database that opened on Sept. 30 was supposed to shed light on the financial relationships between drug and device makers and physicians and teaching hospitals. But according to media and consumer advocates, the website design, missing data, and lack of context has made analyzing those relationships difficult.