AAOS Now, December 2015
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Grand Old Party, Brand New Leadership
The resignation of Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) as Speaker of the House kicked off a series of changes in the Republican leadership. As new leaders take their positions, the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the Orthopaedic Political Action Committee (Orthopaedic PAC) will continue to bring issues to the forefront and to advocate for legislation that benefits orthopaedic patients and providers. Out with the old On Friday, Sept.
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AAOS Liaisons Make a Difference
More than 50 members represent the AAOS as liaisons on committees, expert panels, and work groups sponsored by federal agencies and other organizations. Liaisons serve as musculoskeletal experts to review quality measures, develop standards and appropriateness criteria, provide input on medical device reviews, and continuously examine published materials on advances in research, medical care, and treatment.
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Second Look—Advocacy
A joint panel convened by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory and the FDA Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committees has recommended that fluoroquinolone antibiotics have stronger warnings on the risk for serious adverse events, including tendinitis and tendon rupture, prolongation of the QT interval, and peripheral neuropathy.
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2016 Physician Fee Schedule Rule Finalized
Despite the promise of a 0.5 percent increase in the Medicare conversion factor for 2016, orthopaedic surgeons may actually see a drop in payments under final rules released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The final rule updating payment policies, payment rates, and quality provisions for calendar year 2016 was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 16, 2015.