AAOS Now, September 2015
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Dollars and Sense of Federal Funding
Why orthopaedic surgeons should care Elizabeth Fassbender With government funding set to run out in a matter of weeks (Sept. 30), Congress is once again considering a stop-gap funding bill—also called a continuing resolution or CR—to avoid a government shutdown. CRs are short-term funding measures that typically extend funding at current levels until agreement can be reached on new appropriations bills.
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House Passes 21st Century Cures Bill
On July 10, 2015, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 21st Century Cures Act, by an overwhelming vote of 344 – 77. The bill seeks to encourage innovation in medicine by increasing funding for research and expediting the approval of new devices and drugs. The Senate is expected to act on a similar measure later this year.
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Building Relationships: An Advocacy Axiom
As a young member of the orthopaedic community who is interested in advocacy, I found the “How to Host a Fundraiser for Your Member of Congress” webinar, sponsored by the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Advocacy Resource Committee on June 29, 2015, not only fascinating, but also filled with great practical advice. Presenters Wilford K. Gibson, MD; John T. Gill, MD; Michael E. Russell II, MD; and Fred C. Redfern, MD, shared their knowledge and experience.
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Resurgens Orthopaedics Welcomes Back Rep. Tom Price, MD
Until he ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004, orthopaedic surgeon Tom Price, MD, was a member of Resurgens Orthopaedics in Atlanta. Resurgens has maintained its connections with Rep. Price over the years, and many staff members—myself included—have supported his efforts on behalf of orthopaedics. In July, my wife and I hosted a fundraiser for Rep. Price.
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PAC Events
August was a great time for AAOS members to reconnect with their congressional representatives in their home districts. (left) In North Carolina, Board of Councilors (BOC) representative Richard Bruch, MD, hosted an event for Sen. Richard Burr (R–N.C.) and shot this photo of Matthew D. Olin, MD, president of the North Carolina Orthopaedic Association; Sen. Burr; and Frank V. Aluisio, MD, BOC representative.
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Second Look – Advocacy
These items originally appeared in AAOS Headline News Now, a thrice-weekly enewsletter that keeps AAOS members up to date on clinical, socioeconomic, and political issues, with links to more detailed information. Subscribe at www.aaos.org/news/news.asp (member login required) Surgeons’ complications database ProPublica has posted an online database of complication rates for elective procedures performed by nearly 17,000 surgeons in the United States.
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IPAB Could Set Rules for Medicare in 2017
Until passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, the U.S. Congress had to approve any proposals that would affect Medicare payment rates and program rules. But that may change in 2017, according to a recent report from the Medicare Trustees, a group that oversees the financial operations of the Hospital Insurance and Supplementary Medical Insurance trust funds.