Lawmakers voted to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate formula with the main goal being to avert a 21 percent payment cut to physicians that is scheduled to take effect April 1.
News from the FSO
Physicians will have to wait for a two-week recess until the U.S. Senate will be able to vote on Medicare's sustainable growth rate formula, which puts intense pressure on the physician community and its patients.
From the American Academy of Ophthalmology
Using enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography, investigators compared choroidal thickness in patients with intermediate or advanced AMD and control subjects. After adjustment for age and refractive error, the authors detected no significant choroidal thinning in patients with intermediate or advanced AMD. American Journal of Ophthalmology, April 2015
Meicare payment cuts puts pressure on Senate to ensure that patients do not feel the consequences of the cuts. There has been a lot of push back from citizens due to these payment cuts. Take action to make sure your voice is heard and make that final push for SGR reform.
From the American Academy of Ophthalmology
This review of medical records from a managed care network in Hawaii evaluated the association between statin use and uveitis diagnosis, comparing 108 uveitis cases with 2 randomly selected control groups, 1 from the general plan membership and 1 from the plan’s ophthalmology clinic. After adjustment for risk factors, the authors found that the odds of developing uveitis were about 50% less for statin users compared to patients not taking this class of medications. American Journal of Ophthalmology, April 2015
From the American Academy of Ophthalmology
More than a decade of instability for physician payments is ending, as the U.S. Senate voted 92-8 Tuesday to repeal Medicare’s sustainable growth rate formula.
The Senate’s historic vote follows the bill’s passage in the House of Representatives last month. President Barack Obama has said he will sign the legislation.
Repealing the sustainable growth rate has been a top priority for the Academy and a focus of its advocacy efforts.
From the American Academy of Ophthalmology
Overly restrictive beyond-use dates for bevacizumab would be problematic for physicians and patients
The Food and Drug Administration is seeking comment on proposed pharmaceutical compounding regulations that would affect bevacizumab, commercially known as Avastin.
From the American Academy of Ophthalmology
Elimination of these payments would have meant at least a 4 percent loss in income from surgeries
The preservation of global surgical payments didn’t get the headlines when Congress eliminated Medicare’s sustainable growth rate formula Tuesday, but it was a huge win for medicine in general and ophthalmologists in particular.
From the American Academy of Ophthalmology
Investigators evaluated blood samples from 8 patients with type 1 ROP before and 8 weeks after bevacizumab treatment. All patients received 0.625 mg of bevacizumab. The anti-VEGF entered systemic circulation 1 day after treatment and remained detectable for 2 months. No changes were identified in the serum levels of other growth factors. The authors recommend that bevacizumab be used with caution in the treatment of ROP. JAMA Ophthalmology, April 2015
The Academy is urging ophthalmologists to tell the FDA that its proposal on pharmaceutical compounding and beyond-use dates would interfere with the ability to care for patients. Take action and send letters to the FDA that include real-life examples of issues that would arrise from this proposal.
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