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On March 24, ISASS sent a letter to the Work Loss Data Institute requesting an update to the outdated Official Disability Guidelines for Sacroiliac Joint (SIJ) pain. ISASS takes issue with the current guidelines which support minimally invasive sacroiliac joint (MIS SIJ) fusion for conditions such as SIJ infection, tumor, and spondyloarthropathy, conditions for which high-quality evidence supporting superiority over non-surgical treatment is completely lacking. The guidelines dismiss two high-quality randomized trials in patients with chronic SIJ dysfunction showing superiority of MIS SIJ fusion over non-surgical treatment. ISASS requests revision of the guidelines to better reflect the level of available evidence and to follow standard scientific approaches to evidence interpretation. Click here to view the letter.

News and noteworthy information for January 2017: A Closer Look at Biomechanical Device Coding MACRA/QPP Survey Global Surgery Data Collection Program Finalized Judge Blocks Aetna-Humana Merger Price Testifies at Senate Confirmation Hearings ICD-10 Code Updates and Impact to PQRS FDA Reclassifies Pedicle Screw Systems   A Closer Look at Biomechanical Device Coding Effective January 1, 2017, CPT® code 22851was deleted from the CPT code set and replaced by three new codes to report insertion of biomechanical devices: CPT Code 22853 – Insertion of interbody biomechanical device(s) (eg, synthetic cage, mesh) with integral anterior instrumentation for device anchoring (eg, screws, flanges), when performed, to intervertebral disc space in conjunction with interbody arthrodesis, each interspace (List separately in addition to code for […]