AAOS Now, February 2018
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TKAs and the IPO List: Will Anything Change?
Late last summer, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed removing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from the list of procedures typically performed on an inpatient only (IPO) basis. CMS also sought comments on whether partial and total hip arthroplasty (THA) should be removed from the IPO list.
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The CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating System
In July 2016, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings (Star System) for more than 3,000 hospitals in the United States. Subsequent ratings were released in October and December 2016. The Star System uses the CMS five-star scale to rate hospitals by summarizing existing publicly reported quality measures (Fig. 1). This article discusses the impact star ratings have for various hospitals across the country.
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AAOS and PHA Honor Congressman Sam Johnson
On Dec. 12, 2017, the Physician Hospitals of America (PHA), with support from AAOS, hosted a dinner saluting Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) for his legacy of leadership in the fight for physician-led healthcare. Master of Ceremonies John Dietz, MD, along with a large group of physicians and members of Congress, thanked Rep. Johnson for sponsoring legislation to remove federal restrictions on the growth of physician-owned hospitals. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) extolled Rep.
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BOS Celebrates Victories in Advocacy
Although 2017 was a tumultuous year for the politics of health care, the Board of Specialty Societies (BOS), with the help of the AAOS Office of Government Relations (OGR), demonstrated how to break through the noise and make a lasting impact in healthcare policy.
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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).
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Advocacy at the Annual Meeting – Mark Your Calendar!
As we continue with a new administration and changing Congress, 2018 will be a milestone year for healthcare reform. Many legislative and regulatory issues central to orthopaedic practice and the orthopaedic profession as a whole, including potential Medicare reform, are at stake. Mark your calendars and plan to take advantage of the following opportunities at the AAOS 2018 Annual Meeting.