Spine

Becker’s reported on two developments in spine lawsuits since March 19. 1. Elevance Health settled a class-action lawsuit over denial of coverage for minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion surgery. The settlement includes more than $2.5 million for out-of-pocket payments made…

Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton is now offering ultra-minimally invasive spine surgery, the hospital said March 31. Ultra-minimally invasive spine surgery is available for patients with conditions including herniated discs, spinal stenosis, arthritis and osteoarthritis. “Ultra-minimally invasive spine surgery offers…

Nine spine surgeons have joined new practices or added to their titles in March: Note: This is not an exhaustive list. 1. Mercy Health Springfield (Ohio) Neurosurgery added Neal Mehan, MD, to its staff. 2. Oswego Health Medical Practice added…

Charleston-based Medical University of South Carolina added spinal neurosurgeon Patrick Jowdy, MD. Dr. Jowdy specializes in complex spine surgery and previously worked in private practice, according to a March 31 news release. He is working at MUSC Health Lancaster Medical…

Spine procedures have seen some of the most rapid growth in the outpatient setting in the last five years, according to a March report from commercial real estate company JLL.  Outpatient spine cases have increased just over 3% in the…

Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health’s motion to dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit over alleged unnecessary spine surgeries was denied, according to an order filed March 26 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. The health system sought to…

Neurological spine surgeon David Yam, MD, has joined the Spine Center at Prosser Memorial Health in Walla Walla, Wash. The newly opened center is intended to save patients from having to travel long distances to receive care, according to a…

Medicare Advantage provider Seoul Medical Group and others are settling allegations of submitting false spinal diagnostic codes to increase payments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a March 26 news release. According to federal prosecutors, from 2015 to 2021, Min…

Spine surgeons currently face some of the highest malpractice risks of any physician specialty, but one Minnesota-based company is trying to change that.  The inFormed Consent app was created by Dan Kloster, MD, a chronic pain management specialist, with the…

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company has been approved to proceed with its lawsuit against Spine Centers of America, alleging the company participated in a $3 million patient-brokering scheme, according to a March 26 report from Insurance Business Magazine. A…