How phantom limbs work; new details about the AMA president’s brain cancer surgery; Troy Health admits to Medicare fraud, avoids prosecution – Morning Medical Update

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Phantom limb study challenges brain plasticity

National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers have found that the brain’s map of a missing limb persists years after amputation, overturning long-held theories that nearby regions take over. In a rare study tracking patients before and after surgery, brain scans showed nearly identical activity patterns when participants moved their real hand versus their phantom hand.

Published in Nature Neuroscience, the findings shed new light on phantom limb syndrome. This could reshape treatments for chronic pain and guide the design of advanced neuroproteins.

Mayo Clinic unveils new details of AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, M.D.’s brain cancer surgery

Mayo Clinic has disclosed new details of American Medical Association (AMA) President Bobby Mukkamala, M.D.’s treatment, revealing that surgeons used an awake craniotomy with speech mapping, intraoperative MRI and a novel electrocorticography technique to remove more than 90% of his tumor while preserving speech. The approach spared him chemotherapy and radiation, allowing targeted drug therapy instead.

Last month, Medical Economics spoke with Mukkamala about his personal health journey during an episode of the Off the Chart: A Business of Medicine Podcast.

Troy Health admits to Medicare fraud, avoids prosecution

Troy Health, a North Carolina-based Medicare Advantage provider, has entered a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Justice Department after admitting it used stolen beneficiary data, identity theft and AI-driven software to fraudulently enroll thousands of people into its plans without consent. The company also paid pharmacies kickbacks for referrals through its “Troy.ai” platform. As part of the deal, Troy will pay a $1.43 million penalty, cooperate with federal investigators and overhaul its compliance systems.