Motor Activated Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Potential Neuromodulation Approach for Post-Stroke Motor Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study.

Background: Implanted vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), when synchronized with post-stroke motor rehabilitation improves conventional motor rehabilitation training. A non-invasive VNS method known as transcutaneous auricular vagus nerves stimulation (taVNS) has emerged, which may mimic the effects of implanted VNS.

Objective: To determine whether taVNS paired with motor rehabilitation improves post-stroke motor function, and whether synchronization with movement and amount of stimulation is critical to outcomes.

Matching Task Difficulty to Patient Ability During Task Practice Improves Upper Extremity Motor Skill After Stroke: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Objective: To test the feasibility of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity "keyform," derived from Rasch analysis, as a method for systematically planning and progressing rehabilitation.

Design: Feasibility study, single group design.

Setting: University rehabilitation research laboratory.

The Medicaid managed care grievance process: new protections for beneficiaries.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed regulations to enhance protection of the rights of Medicaid managed care enrollees to appeal decisions made by their managed care plans. The regulations would require both internal and external beneficiary grievance processes that could have a significant effect on managed care organizations with multiple lines of business operating in several states. Managed care organizations may find it worthwhile to develop a standard grievance process that meets Medicaid and Medicare requirements and can be used by enrollees in commercial plans.