MACs, CACs, and Orthopaedics

Elizabeth Fassbender

Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) are multistate, regional contractors that process Medicare claims, enroll and educate providers on the Medicare program, and handle provider and beneficiary inquiries and claims appeals. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the MACs and other Medicare claims administration contractors process nearly 4.9 million Medicare claims each business day and disburse more than $365 billion annually in program payments.

Understanding the FDA’s Custom, Compassionate Use, and HDE Pathways

William M. Mihalko, MD, PhD

William M. Mihalko, MD, PhD Customization is a fact of life. As consumers, we insist on customizing many of the products we purchase. As learners, we want a program geared to our individual needs. Even in medicine, patients expect a personalized treatment program that addresses their specific needs.

The Evolution of GME Funding

Jared L. Harwood, MD; Andrew J. Pugely, MD

Although graduate medical education (GME) funding has directly affected the lives of most U.S. physicians, few understand its evolution. Before the 1940s, hospitals paid trainee stipends by building costs into patient charges. The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, known informally as the GI Bill, provided subsidies for residency expenses and teaching hospitals. Hospitals were also able to add facility and technology acquisition costs to insurance charges.