Five news items about practice management in rheumatology

Healio.com Rheumatology features five news items about practice management. More coverage can be found by clicking here.

Pharmacy Benefit Managers: Drug Industry’s Hidden Middlemen

In this issue, we are fortunate to bring readers a Guest Editorial from Michael C. Schweitz, MD, and Ally Lopshire, JD, who share their opinions on the role of pharmacy benefit managers acting as the intermediaries between insurers, manufacturers and pharmacies. Read more.

Physician groups call on CMS to revise reimbursement, payment policies for biosimilars

CMS recently closed its comment period for the Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2018 proposed rule. Read more.

State access standards did not improve accessibility to specialists

The implementation of specialty access standards by state Medicaid agencies did not result in widespread, meaningful improvements in access to specialist physicians for Medicaid enrollees, and researchers suggest that additional interventions may be needed to expand access, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Read more.

Transforming the health of America can start with 3.6 million nurses

ORLANDO, Fla. — When nurses are healthy, they are perceived as more credible by patients and are more likely to counsel their patients on healthy behavior, said Holly Carpenter, BSN, RN, here at the Rheumatology Nurses Society Annual Conference. Read more.

VIDEO: Past AMA president discusses importance of physicians advocating for patients

SAN FRANCISCO — At the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Annual Meeting, Andrew W. Gurman, MD, discussed physicians advocating for patients. He said it is physicians’ responsibility to advocate for both patients and their profession. Physicians can explain to Congress and the administration about the real-world impact of health care legislation. Read more.