March 2021 Issue of Becker's Spine Review
ON THE COVER
CMS pay for 10 orthopedic procedures at ASCs vs. HOPDs
CMS' procedure price lookup tool enables users to compare average pay for several procedures in ASCs and hospital outpatient departments.
How key spine trends are shaping up in 2021
Downward pressure on reimbursement, rising consolidation and rapid outpatient migration are some of the key trends affecting the spine field.
Zimmer Biomet to spin off spine, dental businesses
Zimmer Biomet plans to spin off its spine and dental units to create a new company.
Neurosurgeon pay hits $645K & 3 more notes
Neurosurgeons have the highest median salary among specialties surveyed in the "Physician Compensation Report 2020" from Physicians Thrive, a financial planning company.
Why Florida is becoming a major battleground for orthopedics
Florida's population boom, tax-friendly nature and aging population all contribute to it becoming a key battleground for orthopedic practices.
Endoscopic procedures 'truly the next generation of spine surgery,' says Dr. Kern Singh
Kern Singh, MD, lauded the benefits of endoscopic spine surgery, which he typically performs as an awake outpatient procedure at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago.
14 key thoughts on bundled payments in spine surgery
Fourteen insights on bundled payments in spine, including CMS changes in 2021 and thoughts from five prominent surgeons:
DOJ recovers $2.2B under False Claims Act — 2 orthopedic cases at center of FY 2020
The Department of Justice collected more than $2.2 billion from civil cases involving fraud and false claims against government programs in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2020.
Biden administration cancels Trump administration plan for opioid treatment drug
President Joe Biden's administration rolled back a plan by former President Donald Trump's administration to allow physicians to prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid-use disorder, the Washington Post reported Jan. 27.
How 2 independent practices are thriving in an increasingly consolidated environment
In December 2020, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare reached a deal to acquire 45 ASCs from Nashville, Tenn.-based SurgCenter Development for $1.1 billion, intensifying the efforts of major ASC management companies and private equity-backed platforms to drive consolidation in the industry.
SPINE SURGEONS
M6-C vs. ACDF: The Spine Journal publishes 2-year study data
A study published in The Spine Journal found that Orthofix's M6-C artificial cervical disc was safe, effective and noninferior to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for the treatment of cervical disc degeneration.
Endoscopic procedures 'truly the next generation of spine surgery,' says Dr. Kern Singh
Kern Singh, MD, lauded the benefits of endoscopic spine surgery, which he typically performs as an awake outpatient procedure at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago.
Tiger Woods undergoes 5th spine surgery
Tiger Woods underwent a fifth spine surgery, which will keep him out of competition in the near future, according to ESPN.
'Dr. Death' patient dies years after botched spine surgery
Jerry Summers has died 10 years after former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, MD, performed spine surgery on him at Baylor Medical Center in Plano, Texas, ABC affiliate Local 24 News reported Feb. 11.
CMS pay for 10 orthopedic procedures at ASCs vs. HOPDs
CMS' procedure price lookup tool enables users to compare average pay for several procedures in ASCs and hospital outpatient departments.
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
35 executive moves at spine, orthopedic device companies
Thirty-five executive moves in the spine and orthopedic device sector have transpired so far in 2020:
These CMS changes would significantly improve spine care: 6 surgeons weigh in
From revamping codes to reversing prior authorization requirements and increasing reimbursement, six spine surgeons discuss CMS changes that would enhance spine care.
$108M raised by Mainstay Medical to support US launch of back pain implant
Mainstay Medical raised $108 million to fund the launch of its ReActiv8 implant in the U.S. and pursue post-market clinical studies.
Why Florida is becoming a major battleground for orthopedics
Florida's population boom, tax-friendly nature and aging population all contribute to it becoming a key battleground for orthopedic practices.
Rothman Orthopaedics relocates New Jersey office to larger facility
Philadelphia-based Rothman Orthopaedic Institute relocated an office to a larger space in Hamilton, N.J., according to a Feb. 3 announcement.
DEVICES & IMPLANTS
DiscGenics completes construction on Salt Lake City HQ — 7 things to know
DiscGenics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on regenerative therapies for spinal conditions, has completed construction on its 25,000-square-foot headquarters in Salt Lake City.
Zimmer Biomet to spin off spine, dental businesses
Zimmer Biomet plans to spin off its spine and dental units to create a new company.
Maury Regional Medical Center first in Tennessee to launch 7D Surgical navigation for spine, brain surgery
Columbia, Tenn.-based Maury Regional Medical Center became the first hospital in the state to debut the 7D Surgical FlashTM Navigation System, according to a Feb. 8 report from The Columbia Daily Herald.
Medtronic CEO predicts AI, machine learning as 'the new frontier for medtech' — 4 key quotes
On a December call as part of the 39th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, Medtronic CEO Geoff Martha shared insights on the company's robotic and spine strategies for the future.
Smith+Nephew acquires orthopedics business for $240M
Smith+Nephew completed the acquisition of Integra LifeSciences' extremity orthopedics business for $240 million.
OUTPATIENT SURGERY
What ASCs with a competitive edge will look like in the coming years: 5 insights
ASCs with the right strategy in place can take advantage of trends in healthcare to accelerate growth in the future.
Thousands of physicians joined 3 big ASC chains in 2020
Three large ASC companies added physicians in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Florida pain clinics to pay $1.6M+ to settle anti-kickback violations
Fort Myers, Fla.-based Collier Anesthesia Pain and Tampa (Fla.) Pain Relief Clinic will pay more than $1.6 million to settle Anti-Kickback law violations, NBC-2 reported Feb. 1.
Biden administration cancels Trump administration plan for opioid treatment drug
President Joe Biden's administration rolled back a plan by former President Donald Trump's administration to allow physicians to prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid-use disorder, the Washington Post reported Jan. 27.
10 areas with highest physician pay growth — multispecialty groups are No. 1
Average annual pay grew the most for physicians in multispecialty group practices last year, according to Doximity's 2020 Physician Compensation Report.
HEALTHCARE NEWS
Biden administration fills out HHS: 13 new leaders to know
President Joe Biden's HHS is filling its agencies with leaders from the Obama administration, policy experts and people tied to President Biden's campaign, according to a list shared with Politico Pulse.
Drugmakers struggle to get volunteers for COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials as more people opt for approved shots
As more COVID-19 vaccines are authorized and made available to a broader population of people, drugmakers are struggling to conduct further studies of the vaccines, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Optum erroneously billed patients for COVID-19 vaccine
Some patients in New Mexico reported receiving a bill for the COVID-19 vaccine after visiting an Optum clinic, according to local news station KRQE.
Pfizer forecasts $15B in COVID-19 vaccines sales this year
Pfizer said Feb. 2 that it expects to sell about $15 billion worth of COVID-19 vaccines this year, CNBC reports.
What the CDC knows about the nation's first 13 million COVID-19 vaccine recipients
Nearly 13 million people have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose in the first month they were available, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Feb. 1.