AAOS Now Podcast
Episodes
Innovation in Orthopaedic Surgery
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores the multifaceted nature of innovation in orthopedic surgery, from creative problem-solving in clinical practice to collaborating...
Inside AAOS 2026: Can’t Miss Events, Education, and the Crescent City
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode provides a comprehensive preview of the 2026 AAOS Annual Meeting, set to take place in New Orleans. Special guests Dr. Matthew Provencher...
Mastering the Art of Patient Communication
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores the essentials of effective doctor-patient communication in today’s rapidly changing healthcare landscape, particularly in an ...
What’s Up, MOC? Key Changes to the ABOS Maintenance of Certification Program
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode focuses on the evolving process of Maintenance of Certification (MOC) for orthopedic surgeons, highlighting its transition to a more flex...
Local Voices, National Impact: How the BOC Works for You
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode offers an in-depth look at the vital role of the AAOS Board of Counselors (BOC) in orthopaedic advocacy and practice. New BOC Chair Dr. M...
#55 A Legacy of Advocacy: How OrthoPAC Is Shaping Healthcare Policy
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode highlights the influential role of the Orthopaedic Political Action Committee (OrthoPAC) in amplifying the voices of orthopaedic surgeons...
#54 The Real-World Cost of Payment Reform for Orthopaedic Surgeons
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores the ongoing challenges and potential solutions surrounding Medicare physician payment reform and the sustainability of orthopedi...
#53 Special Episode: AAOS’s New Strategic Plan
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recently went through a comprehensive multi-year process to re-imagine its core focus and aspirati...
#52 Consolidation, Non-competes, & Cybersecurity
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode covers an array of topics related to increasing consolidation within the healthcare system, from banning non-competes to tightening cybe...
#51 Dr. Glaucomflecken on Advocacy Through Comedy
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian and ophthalmologist Dr. Will Flanary, better known as Dr. Glaucomflecken by his 4 million followers on social media, recently sat down for an...
#50 Celebrating 25 Years of OrthoPAC
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded on Monday, February 12 at the AAOS 2024 Annual Meeting, this episode sits down with the current and former chairs of the AAOS Orthopaedic PAC...
#49 Making Policy Part of Your Practice
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, returning guest and health policy researcher Brian Miller, MD, talks about the opportunity physicians have to improve care for patien...
#48 The Future of Orthopaedics: A Resident’s Perspective
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we talk about the future of orthopaedics and the policy challenges facing our newest surgeons. Resident leader Kevin Weisz, MD, who r...
#47 Is There A Long-Term Solution to Physician Payment Uncertainty?
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Now more than ever, physicians are experiencing instability and uncertainty in their payment reimbursement. This episode addresses the gap between phy...
#46 Value-Based Care
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the shift towards value-based healthcare reform gains momentum, there will be major strategic and organizational changes to how care delivery is re...
#45 Growing the Orthopaedic Voice within the AMA
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Summary: The House of Delegates is the legislative and policy-making body within the American Medical Association (AMA). In this episode, ort...
#44 Cutting Prior Authorization Delays With the ‘Gold Card’ Act
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lengthy prior authorization processes delay care for patients and contribute to physician burnout. Using Texas as a case study, this episode explains ...
#43 FDA Interview on Orthopaedic Medical Device Innovation
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Innovation in orthopaedic care faces stiff headwinds, but the relationships among stakeholders are not zero-sum. Following the in-person AAOS/FDA Town...
#42 Refuting the Argument Against Physician-Owned Hospitals
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The debate over the pros and cons of physician-owned hospitals has spanned over a decade. Now as momentum builds in Congress to repeal restrictions on...
#41 Surprise Billing Law: What’s Working and Not Working?
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It has been two years since the No Surprises Act was passed into law, yet it continues to face numerous legal challenges and iterations of rulemaking ...
#40 State of Orthopaedics with New Advocacy Chair
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In his last episode as podcast host and chair of the AAOS Advocacy Council, Dr. Douglas Lundy passes the torch to orthopaedic spine surgeon Dr. Adam B...
#39 Power of Women in Orthopaedic Advocacy
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we approach International Women’s Day 2023, this episode from the vault discusses the power that women bring to orthopaedic advocacy. AAOS leader...
#38 Physicians in Congress on the Future of Healthcare
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features a conversation with two physician members of Congress: U.S. Representatives Larry Bucshon, MD (IN-08), who spent 15 years in the...
#37 Dr. Kay Kirkpatrick: From Orthopaedic Surgeon to State Senator
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A myriad of important health policy decisions impacting orthopaedic surgery are made at the state-level, including health insurance regulation, certif...
#36 Election Recap and the Lame Duck Congress
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Following the 2022 midterm election, AAOS political experts recap how candidates supported by the Orthopaedic PAC fared, as well as the new physician ...
#35 Election Countdown with the Orthopaedic PAC
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode recorded just weeks out from the 2022 midterm election, AAOS’ Senior Political Director breaks down the physicians currently in Cong...
#34 Payment Changes Proposed for 2023
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, advocacy leaders from the AAOS review proposed payment policy changes for 2023 in the inpatient and outpatient setting including ong...
#33 Unity in Orthopaedic Advocacy
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
AAOS is the leading voice for musculoskeletal health, but its voice is only as strong as its members are unified despite their vast differences in sub...
#32 Preventing Violence in the Healthcare Workplace
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Workplace violence in the healthcare setting occurs four times more often than in the average workplace and recently claimed the life of an orthopaedi...
#31 Orthopaedic Registry Value and Advocacy in the U.S.
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
AAOS Advocacy extends beyond the halls of Capitol Hill to ensure that quality initiatives continue to improve patient outcomes and reduce administrati...
#30 Running for Congress as an Orthopaedic Surgeon
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, AAOS Advocacy Council Chair and podcast host Douglas Lundy, MD, MBA, FAAOS sits down with Al Olszewski, MD, FAAOS (R-MT) to discuss h...
#29 Consolidation Part III: Impact of Consolidation on Musculoskeletal Care
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr. Lundy interviews three AAOS members who have different perspectives on the role of consolidation in the advancement of musculoske...
#28 Consolidation Part II: Federal and Industry Response
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This second episode in our series on consolidation in healthcare centers around the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) role of enforcing the nation's an...
#27 Consolidation in Healthcare: Trends, Impact & Outlook
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The consolidation of hospitals, practices, and the healthcare market in general is a hot button issue which remains ever-present for orthopaedic surge...
#26 Physician Advocacy for Patients with Insurers
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Insurer influence on the practice of orthopaedic surgery continues to increase. The implementation of the No Surprises Act on Jan. 1, along with the o...
#25 Reimbursement Changes and Implementation of Surprise Billing Law
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Orthopaedic surgery is set to face reductions in Medicare reimbursement and changes to the process for resolving surprise medical bills beginning Jan....
#24 Preventing Surprise Medical Bills
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The issue of patients receiving unanticipated medical bills is back in the national spotlight. It rose to prominence in 2019, consumed the attention o...
#23 Economic Effects of Medicare Pay Cuts
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Orthopaedic surgery is set to face an up to 10% reduction in Medicare reimbursement beginning in 2022. This discussion with a healthcare economist div...
Special Episode: Resident Involvement in Advocacy
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
At the AAOS 2021 Annual Meeting, new host and Advocacy Council Chair Douglas Lundy, MD, MBA, FAAOS, recorded a live, on-site interview with Austin Bea...
#21 Physician Mental Health: Conversations with Congress, Part 3
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This final episode of the three-part series for AAOS’ Orthopaedic Advocacy Week discusses reducing and preventing physician mental health issues. Fo...
#20 Telemedicine after COVID: Conversations with Congress, Part 2
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This part two episode of a three-part series for AAOS’ Orthopaedic Advocacy Week focuses on ensuring that flexibilities for valuable telemedicine se...
#19 Prior Authorization Reform: Conversations with Congress, Part 1
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This part one episode of a three-part series on the issues AAOS is raising during Orthopaedic Advocacy Week focuses on prior authorization reform. In ...
#18 Save the Date for Orthopaedic Advocacy Week
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
AAOS President Daniel K. Guy, MD, FAAOS, extends a special invitation for members to participate in Orthopaedic Advocacy Week May 24-28, 2021. He expl...
#17 Policy in Practice: Threats to Orthopaedics in 2021
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Prior authorization paperwork, insurance battles over setting of care, and EHR documentation challenges are just a few of the many ways that governmen...
#16 Partisanship and Public Health in the New Administration
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
At only two months into the new administration, partisan politics remain center stage in the healthcare policy debate. President Biden’s healthcare ...
#15 Repeal of Antitrust Exemption for Health Insurers
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, health insurers have been exempt from antitrust laws and allowed to act as a monopoly setting rates and maximizing profits—until now. E...
#14 Shaping Health Policy During the Coronavirus Pandemic
29 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Recounting the ways AAOS shaped health policy in the year 2020 cannot be done without mentioning COVID-19. What began as a year dedicated to encouragi...
Special Episode: Bundled Payments and Value-based Care
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bundled payment programs are designed to promote value-based care and remain largely voluntary. With the deadline to renew or modify contracts rapidly...
#12 Regulatory Landscape of Biologics
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Biologics are increasingly being marketed and used to improve outcomes for orthopaedic patients, but the requirements for evidence of safety and effec...
#11 Why the Election Matters for MSK Care
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the U.S. general election just one week away, much is at stake for the physician community. Orthopaedic PAC Executive Committee Treasurer Douglas...
#10 Elimination of IPO and Shift to Outpatient Setting
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
AAOS physician leaders discuss Medicare’s proposal to eliminate the inpatient-only list (IPO) beginning with 266 musculoskeletal procedures. They re...
Special Episode: Impact of Payment Policy Changes
02 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, produced in partnership with the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS), advocacy leaders from both organizations disc...
#8 In-District Event and Grassroots Advocacy
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Orthopaedic surgeons across the U.S. are engaging with members of Congress this August as part of AAOS’ In-District Advocacy Event. AAOS First Vice ...
#7 Lifting Restrictions on Physician-Owned Hospitals
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Physician-owned hospitals provide some of the highest quality care, at the lowest cost. Yet since the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, they have be...
#6 Reducing Disparities in Health Care
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Structural inequities and barriers to health care existed prior to COVID-19. But the pandemic has put a spotlight on the problem, which has also recen...
#5 Power of the Orthopaedic PAC
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the only national political action committee dedicated solely to representing orthopaedic surgeons before Congress, the nonpartisan Orthopaedic PAC...
Special Episode: CMS Regulatory Response to COVID-19
23 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this second add-on episode dedicated to COVID-19, Dr. Marion Couch from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shares details on the ag...
#3 Intro to the Office of Government Relations
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Based in Washington, D.C., the AAOS Office of Government Relations promotes and advocates the viewpoint of the orthopaedic community before federal an...
Special Episode: Congressional Response to COVID-19
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this add-on episode, Congressman Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M. (OH-02), provides insight on the congressional response to COVID-19. We cover the three stim...
#1 Advocacy as a Strategic Plan Enabler
27 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
AAOS President Kristy L. Weber, MD, FAAOS, sits down after a busy day on Capitol Hill to talk about Advocacy as a strategic plan enabler. She talks ab...
Introducing The Bone Beat
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Brought to you by the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, "The Bone Beat" covers health policy issues affecting musculoskeletal health. Thro...