Bill Seeks Payment Floor for Tests
Rheumatologists, endocrinologists, ob.gyns., and others are throwing their support behind federal legislation that would establish a payment floor for dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and vertebral fracture assessment (VFA). The “Medicare Fracture Prevention and Osteoporosis Testing Act of 2009” (S. 769, H.R. 1894) would mandate payments of not less than the 2006 Medicare rates for these services (CPT codes 77080 and 77082, respectively). The legislation would counteract deep Medicare payment cuts for services that began in 2007. The new bill is supported by the DXA Task Force, which includes the American College of Rheumatology, the National Osteoporosis Foundation, and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
Feds Subpoena Study Documents
Federal investigators are showing an interest in a medical scandal involving the alleged fabrication of data in more than 20 anesthesia studies. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston recently subpoenaed documents from Bay-state Medical Center, located in Springfield, Mass., that are related to studies conducted by the anesthesiology researcher Dr. Scott S. Reuben. Jane Albert, a spokeswoman for Baystate Medical Center, said that the hospital is complying with the subpoena. Dr. Reuben performed anesthesiology services at the hospital but was employed by an outside medical group. Both the hospital and the anesthesiology group he worked for terminated their relationship with Dr. Reuben in March after an investigation by Baystate Medical Center concluded that Dr. Reuben fabricated data reported in more than 20 published articles, including the use of pain medications like celecoxib following surgery.
HHS Launches Lupus Campaign
The Health and Human Services Department, in cooperation with the American College of Rheumatology and other health care organizations, has launched a national advertising campaign to educate women about lupus. “Despite its prevalence in the United States, lupus is rarely discussed and often misunderstood among women in our country,” said Dr. Wanda K. Jones, deputy assistant secretary for women's health at HHS. A recent study by the Ad Council found that about 80% of women aged 18-44 in the United States have little or no knowledge of lupus.
EMR Applications Rise
As of the March 31 deadline, 64 companies had applied for certification of their electronic medical record (EMR) products, one-third more than had applied by the same time last year, the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology reported. In addition, nearly 40% of the applications were for new EMR products, rather than renewals, according to the federally recognized commission. So far, 25 of the products have been certified.
FDA Warns on Internet Ads
The Food and Drug Administration has warned 14 drug makers against using brief Internet ads to promote drugs, saying the ads are misleading because they fail to provide full information about risks and indications. The ads typically appear on search engines, such as Google, as “sponsored links” when patients search for information on medical conditions. The ads cited by the FDA include promotions for the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri (natalizumab), the cardiovascular drug Plavix (clopidogrel), and the diabetes treatment Avandia (rosiglitazone). The sponsored links generally contain only a dozen or so words—not enough to convey detailed treatment or risk information, according to the FDA.
Massachusetts Clinics Are Busy
Community health centers in Massachusetts saw a significant increase in their patient loads from 2005 to 2007, as the state implemented its health reform law, according to a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The 34 federally qualified clinics, which provide comprehensive primary care for low-income and uninsured patients, served 482,503 patients in 2007, up more than 51,000 from 2 years earlier, the foundation reported. The state's reform aims at universal coverage, but many people remain uninsured. Although the number of health center patients who lack insurance declined, the clinics in 2007 cared for a much larger proportion (36%) of the state's uninsured population than before. The experience in Massachusetts shows that community health centers play a critical role in caring for newly insured patients, the report concluded.
Issues of Drug Class Pending
Logistical and cost issues must be addressed before a behind-the-counter class of nonprescription drugs can be established officially in the United States, the Government Accountability Office said in a report on so-called BTC drugs. The GAO stressed that pharmacists must be ready to provide BTC counseling and that pharmacies must protect consumer privacy. In addition, policy makers should address cost issues, such as the availability of third-party coverage for BTC drugs and pharmacists' compensation for providing associated services. GAO researchers studied the experiences of five countries, including Italy and the Netherlands, that have a behind-the-counter or similarly restricted drug class.