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2nd Annual Spine Technology Awards
Pearl Diver
Procedure of the Month tools

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Wikimedia Commons

BMPs:To Pay or Not to Pay
Walter Eisner • Sun, Aug 8th, 2010

 

CMS’s Coverage Advisory Committee will meet on September 22 to consider and vote on the on- and off-label evidence for paying for BMPs. Read what Steve Phurrough, M.D., the former coverage director at CMS, predicts will happen.

Morguefile.com

Confessions of a Reviewer
Walter Eisner • Fri, Jul 9th, 2010

 

We are entering a new era as reviewers at insurance carriers require more evidence before approving spinal procedures. One reviewer, Gaetano Scuderi, M.D., has some lessons for his colleagues on navigating this new environment. Read them here.

Chlorophyll/GreenProphet

The Start-Up Nation’s Lessons for Ortho Execs
Robin Young • Mon, Jun 28th, 2010
1 Comment

 

Can orthopedics innovate out of today’s reimbursement, pricing and regulatory malaise? If the culture of innovation we saw among the Israeli medical technology companies is any indication, the answer is “yes.” But it could be ego bruising to today’s industry leadership.

Photographer / Wikimedia Commons

A Picture of Costs
Walter Eisner • Sun, May 16th, 2010

 

Providers and manufacturers who want the clearest “picture” of the total economic costs of orthopedic devices and procedures, now have a tool to measure the cost effectiveness of their work. See the presentation from the folks at Zimmer that won a “Best of Category” award at AAOS.

Wikimedia Commons

Healthcare Reform and Orthopedics
Walter Eisner • Mon, Apr 5th, 2010
1 Comment

 

The health care reform bill will make everybody a winner. So says Bill Frist, cardiologist, hospital owner, and former leader of Republicans in the U.S. Senate. But, what does he know? It also means more patients, more units sold, longer wait times and more Sunshine. We have the key orthopedic issues here.

Rosie the Riveter / Wikimedia & RRY Publications

NASS Defends XLIF
Walter Eisner • Mon, Jan 11th, 2010

 

NASS jumped into the XLIF reimbursement fray by telling insurance carriers that the procedure was not experimental or investigational. As in the vertebroplasty situation, the Society defended its position as the authoritative voice for defining high quality, evidence-based spine care. Read their rationale here.

Fire Fighting / Wikimedia Commons

NuVasive Fights Back
Walter Eisner • Mon, Dec 7th, 2009

 

NuVasive fights back and says there are no coding or reimbursement issues for its XLIF procedure. But questions about future reimbursements and a slew of short sales have cut the company’s market cap by almost $600 million in the last two months. Read what company CEO Lukianov told analysts on November 30.