Wyden Urges Quick Action on ‘Doc Fix,’ Citing Rising Costs
November 19, 2014

Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden said the rising cost of replacing Medicare’s physician payment formula adds urgency to the effort to pass compromise legislation during the lame duck instead of waiting until the March 31 deadline to prevent scheduled cuts to doctors. The Congressional Budget Office estimated late Friday that a bipartisan, bicameral “doc fix” plan introduced in… more

 

CBO’s Estimated Cost Of Freezing Medicare Physician Pay Falls Slightly
November 17, 2014

The Congressional Budget Office lowered by $5 billion its 10-year estimate of the cost of freezing Medicare payments to physicians, which is good news for those pushing to replace the Sustainable Growth Rate formula. However, physicians are lobbying to replace SGR without paying for it, and some Republicans reportedly are warming to the idea. When… more

 

SCOTUS subsidies case weighs on states
November 17, 2014

Insurance regulators in states where HHS runs the Obamacare exchanges are discussing contingency plans or workarounds should the Supreme Court strip the law’s insurance subsidies across a wide swath of the country. The discussion of the King v. Burwell case came up on Monday at a meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in… more

 

SGR, CHIP fixes potentially on lame-duck agenda, but prospects look slim
November 12, 2014

The only major task likely to get done during the four-week lame-duck session that Congress started Wednesday will be to provide continuing funding for the federal government, which is slated to run out of money Dec. 11. That funding effort will include debate over the Obama administration’s request for $6.2 billion in funding to fight… more

 

AMA Presses for Permanent SGR Fix During Congress’s Lame-Duck Session
November 12, 2014

The American Medical Association is pressing Congress to pass a permanent fix for how Medicare reimburses physicians during the lame-duck session that begins this week. AMA President Robert Wah in a Nov. 10 blog post said the lame duck session “is a perfect opportunity to end the broken cycle of temporary patches” to the sustainable… more

 

Despite prevalence of PAD symptoms, the majority of patients have not consulted a physician
September 30, 2014

More than 40 percent of Americans aged 40 and older have experienced one or more of the most common symptomsi of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). However, the majority are unfamiliar with the disease and relatively few who experience symptoms see a doctor, according a recent online awareness survey conducted by Harris Poll.ii The Covidien-sponsored survey… more

 

Podiatry Today: PAD Awareness Month And The Case For Limb Preservation
September 1, 2014

Unlike October, which is abundant with the color pink and matching ribbons symbolizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month wherever we turn, we have no such ribbon for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month. In my travels over the past few years, I have noted several instances that illustrate a lack of PAD awareness and understanding among… more

 

Low Income and Lower Education Levels Associated with Peripheral Vascular Disease in U.S. Adults
August 19, 2014

Recent findings published by the American Heart Association reveal that U.S. adults with lower socioeconomic status are at higher risk for developing Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) – highlighting the need for education and advocacy among at-risk populations. According to the study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, individuals with low income and lower education… more

 

JAMA Surgery: Aortic Stents Safer for Aneurysm Repairs
August 19, 2014

Post-operative complications and mortality rates were significantly lower for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms repaired via endovascular stent grafts, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Although anecdotal evidence and randomized clinical trials have long supported that endovascular repair is safer than more invasive, open surgeries, the published… more

 

Dark Chocolate Improves Walking Autonomy in Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease
August 19, 2014

Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) might find relief from dark chocolate, according to research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. PAD – a common circulatory problem where narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs – often results in pain when blood flow cannot keep up with the body’s demands, particularly… more

 

Extended Release Niacin-Laropiprant Proves More Harmful than Helpful in High-Risk Patients
August 19, 2014

Patients receiving statin therapy for high cholesterol who additionally received a combination of extended-release niacin and laropiprant, saw reductions in their HDL, but saw no difference in the rate of major vascular events. The test group, in fact, experienced a higher rate of adverse events and complications when compared to patients taking a placebo. The… more

 

Scientists Discover Genetic Switch that Can Prevent Peripheral Vascular Disease in Mice
August 19, 2014

Scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have tested a non-surgical treatment in mice that could improve Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) by increasing blood circulation in the extremities. Researchers were able to identify a genetic “switch” that suppresses blood vessel development, and then turn off that switch in mice – allowing… more

 

Endovascular Today: The Outpatient Endovascular and Interventional Society
January 1, 2014

Although outpatient or office-based interventional suites have been operational for many years, there has been a marked proliferation of these sites in multiple states in the past 3 years. It is estimated that nearly 350 to 400 office-based labs exist in the United States to date, and that number is growing rapidly. Office-based labs, also… more

 

Preventive Aspects in Peripheral Artery Disease
June 2, 2012

Abstract The prevalence of peripheral artery disease is steadily increasing and is associated with significant morbidity, including a significant percentage of amputations. Peripheral artery disease often goes undiagnosed, making its prevention increasingly important. Patients with peripheral arterial disease are at increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes which makes prevention even more important. Several risk factors… more