6/3/10

In Memoriam: NASS Mourns Loss of Henry H. Bohlman, MD

The North American Spine Society (NASS) is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Henry H. Bohlman, MD. 

4/8/10

NASS Joins the Texas Medical Association's Million-Signature Campaign to Stop Medicare Meltdown

The National Association of Spine Specialists, the advocacy arm of The North American Spine Society, today joined numerous state medical societies and specialty societies to participate in the Texas Medical Association’s Million-Signature Campaign to Stop the Medicare Meltdown. The goal of the petition drive is to gather 1 million signatures from physicians and patients, sending a united message to Congress and the president to develop a rational Medicare physician payment system in order to preserve Medicare patients’ access to care.

3/23/10
NASS Survey Finds Physicians Ready to Make Major Changes in Medicare Practices
In a survey published by the North American Spine Society (NASS), as many as 24 percent of  spine care physicians participating in Medicare indicated they will no longer participate in the program if the mandated reductions in Medicare reimbursement to physicians occur later this year. Additionally, more than one-third of those surveyed would opt out of Medicare for two years and privately contract with Medicare patients.

2/24/10
NASS Releases 2010 Common Coding Scenarios for Comprehensive Spine Care
The North American Spine Society (NASS) today released their annual coding publication, 2010 Common Coding Scenarios for Comprehensive Spine Care.  Using CPT® codes of the 22000 series and 63000 series, the spine care specific coding guide features correct coding for common surgical procedures performed for degenerative disease, deformity and fracture.  The guide also includes correct coding for common medical procedures for injection, pain management, radiology and electrodiagnostic procedures.

2/18/10
NASS Winter Sports Tips for Spine Health
With the 2010 Winter Olympics well underway in Vancouver, children and adults worldwide are watching the exciting festivities and cheering their country to victory. For some, however, the Olympic spirit will ignite a passion within to take up a winter sport of their own.   “Getting active outside during winter is an excellent way to exercise and help those cold months pass by faster. While year round exercise is recommended for overall spine health, winter sporting activities come with some degree of injury risk,” said Lincoln Likness, DO, North American Spine Society (NASS) member and Cleveland Clinic Center for Spine Health Physician.

1/15/10
NASS Highlights Sweeping Disclosure Policy Reforms
The North American Spine Society (NASS) today responded to Senator Charles Grassley’s December request concerning disclosure of financial relationships between medical device and pharmaceutical industries, physicians and professional medical associations. Grassley (R-IA) on December 7, 2009 sent letters to 33 health care organizations asking for information on financial backing they may have received from the pharmaceutical, medical device and insurance industries over the past three years.

2009 Press Releases 

11/10/09
North American Spine Society Launches New Consumer Web Site 
The North American Spine Society (NASS) is pleased to announce the launch of its new consumer Web site. Launched at NASS’ 24th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, www.knowyourback.org continues the Society’s dedication to providing patients with credible health information related to the causes, treatment and prevention of neck and back disorders.

10/15/09
In Memoriam: NASS Mourns Loss of Past President Vert Mooney, MD
The North American Spine Society (NASS) is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Vert Mooney, MD. A founding member of NASS, Dr. Mooney served as NASS President from 1987-1988.
A Tribute to Vert Mooney, MD by Thomas E (Ted) Dreisinger, PhD

10/13/09
North American Spine Society Responds to Recent Vertebroplasty Studies’ Findings
The North American Spine Society (NASS) today released comments on two new studies on vertebroplasty and their significance to patient care. NASS’ comments, published in The Spine Journal online, were issued in response to two randomized controlled trials on vertebroplasty published on August 6, 2009 in the New England Journal of Medicine – A Randomized Trial of Vertebroplasty for Painful Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures and A Randomized Trial of Vertebroplasty for Osteoporotic Spinal Fractures. Both studies examined the benefit of vertebroplasty when compared to sham procedures.

8/05/09
North American Spine Society Releases New Guideline for Antithrombotic Therapies in Spine Surgery
The North American Spine Society (NASS) released a new Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline for Multidisciplinary Spine Care for Antithrombotic Therapies in Spine Surgery.

7/28/09
North American Spine Society Expresses Concern over Proposed Federal Health Care Reform Legislation  
“Several provisions will put patient access to care at risk”
As debate continues on proposed health care reform legislation, the “America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009” (H.R. 3200), the North American Spine Society (NASS) today, in a letter to House leaders signed by NASS President Charles Branch, MD and NASS Advocacy Committee Chairman Raj Rao, MD, expressed concerns that elements within the overall package will fail to control costs, fail to improve quality and fail to improve access to care.

7/15/09
North American Spine Society Advocates for Permanent Medicare Part B Solution  
“Urges Congress to fix the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate Formula”
In July 2008, Congress passed the “Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008,” a temporary solution necessary to avoid an immediate 10.6 percent cut in Medicare payments. North American Spine Society (NASS) members today met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to urge Congress to make permanent changes to the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Formula under Medicare Part B a priority in health care reform discussions.

2/19/09
Analysis of High-Quality Trials Finds Exercise as the Only Proven Effective Method of Back Pain Prevention  

With an annual cost to the United States of as much as $100 billion, low back pain imposes a significant burden on industrialized societies, in terms of symptoms, medical costs, productivity and particularly back pain-related work absence. Unfortunately, scientific efforts have provided little consensus on preventing this common musculoskeletal problem.

1/22/09
NASS Redefines Mission; Adopts Groundbreaking Disclosure Policy

The North American Spine Society, the leading multidisciplinary spine organization worldwide, has dramatically revised its existing disclosure policy for both members and nonmembers participating in NASS activities. Going several steps further than the original policy (which was adopted in January 2006), the new policy adopted by the NASS Board of Directors at the Toronto Annual Meeting in October 2008 requires that participants disclose actual dollar amounts of all relationships held in the 12 months preceding disclosure.

2008 Press Releases

10/15/08
Spine Specialist’s Clinical Instinct Not Sufficient When Assessing a Patient’s Psychological Distress 

10/15/08
Surgical Outcomes Better for Patients With Leg Pain Predominant Degenerative Spondylolisthesis and Spinal Stenosis

10/15/08
Lumbar Fusion Offers Substantial Benefit for Medicare-Age Patients

10/15/08
Radiographic Findings Did Not Predict Outcome for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis Treatment

8/1/08
NASS to Present Hottest Spine Topics at Annual Meeting in Toronto

7/16/08
NASS Strengthens its Efforts in Conflict of Interest (COI) and Ethics Arena

4/15/08
Medical Societies Join Forces in Response Effort to Washington State Health Care Authority's Health Technology Assessment on Artificial Discs

2/1/08
Winter Safety – A Guide to Preventing Back Injuries in Winter Months