Orthopedic

The largest physician-owned orthopedic group in Georgia secured investment from a private equity firm Dec. 9, among a growing number of independent practices this year that looked for new ways to expand in a challenging healthcare environment.

Physicians are urging the Senate to pass a bill to avert billions of dollars in Medicare cuts from taking place Jan. 1.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted how healthcare, including orthopedics, is carried out. Some surgeons are optimistic about changes, including increased telehealth visits and outpatient care. Others say the pandemic gave them time to notice problems with insurance reimbursement.

From leadership changes to new clinical guidance, here are six key updates from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons this year:

The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons is calling on federal regulators to update the process for resolving out-of-network medical billing disputes to be more closely aligned with the No Surprises Act.

A Georgia state senate committee led by a former orthopedic surgeon is asking the General Assembly to consider harsher penalties for attacks on healthcare workers, The Albany Herald reported Dec. 7.

The new orthopedics chair at Bethlehem, Pa.-based St. Luke’s University Health Network and four more orthopedic surgeons joined new practices or assumed new titles in November:

Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine named Cara Cipriano, MD, its new chief of orthopedic oncology, the health system said in a Dec. 3 update.

John DiPreta, MD, president of the New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons, has criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul's executive order limiting "nonessential" and "nonurgent" procedures in hospitals with capacity issues caused by COVID-19.

Medicare spending on physician services declined $13.9 billion below expected levels in 2020, with orthopedic surgery accounting for $587M (23.7 percent) of that drop, the American Medical Association said in a Dec. 2 news release.