Author: Carly Behm

Prior authorization can be a pain point for spine surgeons getting reimbursement approved by CMS and insurers, but artificial intelligence holds potential for improving that process for providers, Brian Gantwerker, MD, said. Dr. Gantwerker, of the Craniospinal Center of Los…

Rhea Medical Center in Dayton, Tenn., opened its Spine Motion Institute, Chattanoogan.com reported Oct. 29. Spine surgeon Scott Hodges, DO, is overseeing the center. His practice includes disc replacement, minimally invasive spine surgery and facet joint replacement. The new center…

A surge of private equity deals in the spine and orthopedic space during the last few years have yet to see solid payoff, some surgeons say. Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around…

Recent shifts in telehealth policy have forced some spine surgeons to adapt, Reid Hoshide, MD, said. Dr. Hoshide, of the Neurosurgical Institute of Hawaii in Honolulu, shared his strategy with Becker’s. Question: How are changes to telehealth access affecting your…

Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company is expanding its musculoskeletal population health program with Humana, according to an Oct. 28 news release. The expansion adds Humana members in Arizona to HopCo’s musculoskeletal population health solution. HopCo’s platform engages members and providers across…

PainTEQ, an interventional spine care company, added Robert Kline to its board of directors, according to an Oct. 28 news release. Mr. Kline has 25 years of experience including founder of Medivance, co-founder of ViroCyt and CEO of Boulder Surgical.…

Elevance Health shared plans to potentially penalize facilities that use care providers who aren’t in network with Anthem, a move that worries spine surgeons. The policy, which would go into effect Jan. 1, focuses on 11 states and says facilities…

Centinel Spine’s revenue was more than $32 million during the third quarter, a 42% year-over-year increase, according to financial results posted Oct. 28. Five things to know: 1. Centinel Spine also saw record global revenue for its cervical total disc…

Zimmer Biomet earned the FDA’s Breakthrough Device Designation for its iodine-treated total hip replacement system, according to an Oct. 28 news release. The iodine technology uses a controlled-release surface treatment into the iTaperloc complete and iG7 hip system to address…

Aurora Spine launched a biologics portfolio for spinal fusion, the company said Oct. 28. Aurora Biologics includes the Turbo Fuse fiber putty, Osteoporosis Graft DBM putty and Osteoporosis Bridge sponge strips, according to a news release. The biologics are made…