The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued its CY2020 final rules on Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs (HOPPS).

These rules will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. Highlights for vascular surgery include:

From the SVS PAC Committee

The SVS Political Action Committee (PAC) supports congressional candidates whose positions on health care policies are aligned with SVS and our members. SVS support for candidates who share our views is a critical tool for achieving SVS legislative and regulatory priorities, and we have identified a number of candidates who could strengthen the influence and voice of vascular surgery on Capitol Hill.

A major “something new” – a Practice Pavilion – is coming to the Exhibit Hall at the 2020 Vascular Annual Meeting.

It will be the hub for a wide range of practical sessions and opportunities for vascular surgeons, nurses and physician assistants, including lectures, hands-on sessions and small workshops.

The program for the 2020 Vascular Annual Meeting is taking shape, from the educational programming to the more practical offerings under consideration for the new Practice Pavilion. (See story on page 12)

It is the “giving” time of year. The SVS Foundation asks that your giving plans include the Foundation, to fund not only things – research awards, patient education fliers, community awareness projects – but also people.

Holiday Travel Tips from the Society for Vascular Surgery

ROSEMONT, Ill., December 23, 2019 – Nearly one in three Americans traveled during the holidays last year and the Triple A travel organization believes that number is likely to continue to grow. With busy holiday travel schedules comes exposure to a lot of congestion – not only at airports and on the roads – but also congestion due to sickness as well.

Quality of Life After Pharmacomechanical Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis of Proximal Deep Venous Thrombosis

CHICAGO, Ill., Dec. 19, 2020 – An analysis of data from the ATTRACT trial published in the online version of the January Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders (JVSVL) reveals that quality of life (QOL) measures improve after pharmacomechanical catheter-directed thrombolysis (PCDT). This is particularly true early on and for iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis, or DVT.

BY MALACHI G. SHEAHAN III, MD MEDICAL EDITOR, VASCULAR SPECIALIST

Science, snark, and sartorial folly in the debate over operative attire

BY MALACHI G. SHEAHAN III, MD MEDICAL EDITOR, VASCULAR SPECIALIST

As medical editor of Vascular Specialist, it has always been my hope to use our excellent reporters and rapid production schedule to keep readers abreast of the latest news in vascular surgery. While my colleagues at the Journal of Vascular Surgery publish studies that will drive treatment, my goal is to drive discussion.