Washington, DC—Medicare beneficiaries who have a low-income subsidy are more likely to have access to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) biologic therapy through their Part D drug benefit than those who face the Medicare coverage gap (also known as the “donut hole”), according to results of a study reported by Jinoos Yazdany, MD, Assistant Professor at the University of California, San Francisco, at the 2012 meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). A second study by Dr Yazdany and colleagues showed that older and poorer patients with RA face reduced access to appropriate care provided by a rheumatologist.
Washington, DC—Although differences in the effectiveness between different drug classes used in acute gout treatment are small, some treatments offer more value, said Kimberly Reiter, MD, of Presbyterian Medical Group, Albuquerque, NM, at the 2012 meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
By Wayne Kuznar
By Wayne Kuznar
Washington, DC—In the previous issue of Value-Based Care in Rheumatology, clinical publications of impact from the peer-reviewed literature from late 2011 and 2012 were selected for review by David A. Isenberg, MD, FRCP, FAMS, Arthritis Research Campaign’s Diamond Jubilee Professor of Rheumatology, University College London, and presented at the 2012 meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.
ACR’s proposed new criteria the basis for this development
Washington, DC—Although differences in the effectiveness between different drug classes used in acute gout treatment are small, some treatments offer more value, said Kimberly Reiter, MD, of Presbyterian Medical Group, Albuquerque, NM, at the 2012 meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
By Phoebe Starr
Removing Medicare regulations that are deemed unnecessary or unjustifiably burdensome on providers and hospitals would save nearly $676 million annually, and $3.4 billion over 5 years, through a rule proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in support of President Obama’s call on federal agencies to modify and streamline regulations on business.
The HHS has allocated $1.9 million for new telehealth regional resource centers to serve rural and medically underserved populations. Qualified regional centers will each receive a $325,000 grant through the Telehealth Resource Center Grant Program.
Referring patients with osteoarthritis to an occupational therapist early in the disease can improve hand function.
In very early-stage research, scientists at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation have discovered a small molecule, called kartogenin, that, in a mouse model, promoted increases in the number of chondrocytes and matrix proteins, as well as hyaline articular cartilage restoration.
A research team at the Scripps Research Institute has found that blocking a specific pathway that prevents key events in lupus from occurring could lead to the development of new therapy for autoimmune diseases.
Washington, DC—Tapering the doses of anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs can be done successfully in some patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who achieve remission. A step-down strategy was possible in >80% of patients without significant increases in disease activity or functional impairment, although relapses occurred more frequently than in those who remained using a full regimen, said Bruno Fautrel, MD, PhD, a professor at the University of Paris Medical Center, at the 2012 meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.
By Wayne Kuznar
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