2012 – 2013 ISASS BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident Steven Garfin, MD, USAIncoming President Luiz Pimenta, MD, Brazil Treasurer Gunnar B. J. Andersson, MD, PhD, USA Michael Ogon, MD, Austria Hee Kit Wong, MD, PhD, Singapore Jeffrey Goldstein, MD, USA Immediate Past President Jean-Charles LeHuec, MD, France ISASS Past Presidents Thomas Errico, MD, USA Chun-Kun Park, MD,...

ISASS is pleased to announce that the website for our new advocacy organization International Advocates for Spine Patients is now open. The IASP Mission: “International Advocates for Spine Patients is an international organization partnering physicians, patients and the medical industry to advocate for high quality, widely accessible and cost effective spine care for patients around the w...

HCSC/BCBSIL’s draft policy is moderately onerous in the sense that most indications for a spinal fusion are still covered. The areas where lumbar spinal fusions procedures “are not considered medically necessary” include patients where the sole indication is a disc herniation or neuro structure compression (initial discectomy/laminectomy) “as well as” degenerative...

Earlier this week, HCSC, the parent corporation for Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, issued a new draft policy for Lumbar Spinal Fusions. Concerns have been raised that this new policy rules out access to lumbar fusion for patients where the sole indication is a disc herniation or neurostructure compression...