The Budget Control Act of 2011

Tyler Davis; Daniel J. Stinner, MD; Jordan C. Apfeld; William T. Obremskey, MD; A. Alex Jahangir, MD; Manish K. Sethi, MD

Few individuals can afford to pay the full cost of a medical education out of pocket. The percentage of medical students who graduate with student loan debt has remained relatively constant since 1998, at about 86 percent. However, during that same period, medical student debt has grown at an average of 4.2 percent for private school students and 5.7 percent for public school students, from an average of $85,200 to $161,300 (Fig. 1).

Where the Candidates Stand on Health Care

Julie Balch Samora, MD, PhD, MPH; Carolyn M. Hettrich, MD, MPH

With the 2012 presidential election just weeks away, it’s important to scrutinize each candidate’s vision for healthcare policy, because policy changes have the potential to dramatically affect not only the nation, but also patient care and the financial viability of orthopaedic practices. This article outlines the specific viewpoints of President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney with respect to health care.

Second Look-Clinical

CMS delays ICD-10 adoption CMS has delayed implementation of the International Classification of Diseases Version 10 (ICD-10) to Oct. 1, 2014. The change in compliance date will offer healthcare providers and other covered entities more time to prepare and fully test their systems to ensure a smooth and coordinated transition. Sentinel Event Alert The Joint Commission has issued a Sentinel Event Alert on the safe use of opioids in hospital settings.

2012 Health Policy Fellows Selected

Madeleine Lovette

David B. Bumpass, MD, and Julie Balch Samora, MD, PhD, MPH, have been selected as the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) 2012–2013 Washington Health Policy Fellows (WHPF). The decision was made by the WHPF Selection Committee of the AAOS Council on Advocacy. David B. Bumpass, MD David B. Bumpass, MD Dr. Bumpass is a fifth-year orthopaedic surgery resident at Washington University in St. Louis and will pursue a spine fellowship next year at Washington University.

Get the Message: Don’t Text and Drive

Maureen Leahy

Alabama recently became one of the first states in the nation to incorporate an anti-texting video into its high-school driver education curriculum. “Alabama Don’t Text and Drive” is the culmination of many months of effort, spearheaded by the Alabama Orthopaedic Society (AOS) and its executive director, Mike Merrill. “The AOS had wanted for some time to initiate a community outreach program,” said Mr. Merrill.

AAOS, AAHKS Develop Model Coverage Policy

Focuses on lower extremity total joint arthroplasty In many regions of the country, Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) have issued “improper payment denials” for orthopaedic procedures. These actions are based on unpublished or poorly distributed coverage policies that were developed without physician input. This is an issue of great concern to the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and its members.

Parties Choose Candidates; AAOS Is There

Madeleine Lovette

Neither the Republican nor the Democratic National Convention held any surprises this year, as the parties selected Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, respectively, as their presidential nominee. The two have been campaigning against each other since late May, when Mr. Romney won the Republican primary in Texas, giving him enough delegates to clinch the nomination. As a result, party leaders could focus on convincing voters why their party’s vision and policies would be best for the nation.