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| February 05, 2010 |
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Media Coverage of Therapy Cap Highlights Urgency for Congressional
Action
News coverage of the therapy
cap, prompted by APTA's recent media outreach, is drawing attention to
the growing number of Medicare beneficiaries who soon may reach the
$1,860 limit and the questions that providers face about how to best
proceed with the provision of outpatient rehabilitation services once
the limit is reached.
An article in The Hill, which features APTA, describes
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' instructions on the
options available once a patient has reached the cap, such as holding
claims until it becomes clear if reform legislation will pass. However,
a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
from Sens Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and John Ensign
(R-NV) that seeks help in delaying enforcement of the caps while
Congress works out a solution says, "While we appreciate this
memorandum, many rehabilitation providers are unable to hold claims for
substantial periods of time."
In its coverage Wednesday of the therapy
cap, Congressional Quarterly quotes APTA President R. Scott Ward,
PT, PhD, in an article based on a press
release recently issued by APTA. The article also highlights the
coalition of more than 30 health care groups -- including APTA --
that called on Congress last
week to address the cap in legislation with the physician fee
schedule. In the same article, a Senate Finance Committee aide says that
Chairman Max Baucus D-MT) "is committed to extending the longstanding
policy that exempts Medicare beneficiaries from therapy caps. The
extension is included in the Senate-passed health reform legislation
that Chairman Baucus hopes to have enacted as soon as possible. In the
meantime, Chairman Baucus is open to including the therapy caps
protection on any health-related legislation under consideration in the
Senate."
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New Therapy Cap Resources: Get Informed, Get Involved
APTA has
developed several new resources to assist members in cap billing
procedures and getting the word out on how the financial limit affects
the provision of physical therapy services.
A new podcast addresses the most
common questions related to implementation of the therapy cap without an
exceptions process.
APTA's "10 Things You Can Do to Stop the
Cap" can help PTs get the word
out about the therapy cap. The fifth action item suggests holding a
practice visit for members of Congress to demonstrate physical therapy
in action and educate the members on the cap’s impact on
patients. John Lockard, PT, OCS, of Northwest Physical Therapy in Wyndmoor,
Pennsylvania, recently held a practice visit for Rep Allyson Schwartz
(D-PA). The event was attended by approximately 20 people, including
APTA Board members Laurie Hack, PT, DPT, MBA,
PhD, and Mary Sinnott, PT, DPT,MEd, and federal government affairs
staff.
PTs interested in reaching out
to the media can personalize APTA's therapy cap news release template
and send it to their local newspapers.
If you have a story about a patient (no names,
please) who has -- or is about to -- reach the cap, post it at
APTA's Moving Forward blog.
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APTA Launches 'Heard on the Hill' Podcast Series
The inaugural
Heard on the Hill, a monthly
podcast series that focuses on congressional issues affecting PTs and
PTAs, focuses on President Obama's first State of the Union address and
his fiscal year 2011
budget.
Topics covered in the podcast include funds to be directed toward
Medicare, Medicaid, the National Institutes of Health, community health
centers, health information technology, the National Services Corps,
patient-centered health research, and more.
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Downloadable Vestibular Rehabilitation FAQ Now Available
A new downloadable
FAQ defines vestibular rehabilitation and the physical
therapist's role in the treatment of vestibular dysfunction, provides
information on the tests and measures commonly used in vestibular
rehabilitation, and explains the various procedure codes that are
typically reported (billed) in vestibular
rehabilitation.
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CSM Daily Preview Now Online
Gear up for the Combined
Sections Meeting (CSM) with APTA's CSM Daily Preview now available online. The preview issue
highlights keynote speaker H. Steven Sadowsky, PT, RRT, MS,
CCS, provides information on
APTA's consumer roll out of the brand, lists exhibitors, and offers
information on things to do and how to get around in San
Diego.
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Practice Tips
Avoiding Abbreviations to Avoid Errors
The Joint
Commission's Do Not
Use list is a
standardized list of abbreviations, acronyms, symbols, and dose
designations that should not be used in accredited organizations. The
list, which is reviewed annually, discusses medical errors related to
the misuse and misinterpretation of abbreviations, acronyms, and
symbols.
Living the Brand: Establishing Credibility
APTA's brand development
efforts have been focused not on branding APTA, but rather on physical
therapists and physical therapy. However, it is imperative that the APTA
be responsible for managing the brand position. To this end, the
association recommends creating a "seal of approval" icon to denote that
a communication has come from a professional source, and that as a
physical therapy provider you have an entire organization behind you to
help establish and maintain your credibility. For an example of the
icon, see page 17 of the Brand
Guidelines reference book.
To learn more
about living the brand, go to www.apta.org/brandbeat.
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New in Research
Footnote: What's New in the Literature
Individualized
cyclic pressure relief may have substantial benefits in accelerating the
healing process in wheelchair users with existing pressure ulcers while
maintaining the mobility of individuals with spinal cord injury during
pressure ulcer treatment, say authors of a study published in the November 2009 issue (Vol
22 Issue 11) of Advances in Skin & Wound
Care.
This randomized
controlled study was conducted in spinal cord injury clinics. Forty-four
participants, aged 18-79 years, with Stage II or Stage III pressure
ulcers, were randomly assigned to the control (n = 22) or treatment (n =
22) groups. Participants in the treatment group used wheelchairs
equipped with an individually adjusted automated seat that provided
cyclic pressure relief; participants in the control group used a
standard wheelchair. All subjects sat in wheelchairs for a minimum of 4
hours per day for 30 days during their pressure ulcer treatment. Wound
characteristics were assessed using the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing
(PUSH) tool and wound dimensions recorded with digital photographs twice
a week. Median healing time for a 30% healing relative to initial
measurements, the percentage reduction in wound area, and the percentage
improvement in PUSH score achieved at the end of the trial were compared
between groups.
At the end of
30 days, both groups demonstrated a general trend of healing. However,
the treatment group was found to take significantly less time to achieve
30% healing for the wound measurement compared with the control group.
The percentage improvement of the wound area and PUSH scores were
greater in using cyclic seating (45.0 +/- 21.0; 29.9 +/- 24. 6,)
compared with standard seating (10.2 +/- 34.9, 5.8 +/- 9.2).
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Membership Matters
Save the Date: CSM Events Benefit the Foundation
Join your
friends and colleagues at the Sports Physical Therapy Section Beach
Party Redux, February 18, 8:00 pm-12:00 am at the Hilton Bayfront Indigo
CD and Foyer. The evening will include music and dancing to the Beach
Toys, a Beach Boys tribute band, as well as the Silent Auction,
featuring sports memorabilia, gifts, clothing, and equipment. Tickets
are $25 for members ($10 for students). Purchase tickets by calling APTA
Member Services at 800/999-2782, ext 3395, or online by
February 11. Tickets will also be available at the door.
"Catch the
Buzz" at the Home Health Section Coffee on February 19, 7:00 am-9:00 am
at the Hilton Bayfront Indigo Terrace Foyer and meet Foundation-funded
researchers. Gentiva Health Services, a Foundation Partner in Research,
is sponsoring this event. Free travel mugs will be given to the first
275 guests. Tickets are $15 ($5 for students) and can be purchased
through APTA's Member Services Department at 800/999-2782, ext 3395,
or online by
February 11. Tickets will also be available at the door.
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Click of the Week
Debt Management Resources
As the cost of
higher education continues to rise, more students are emerging from
graduation encumbered by significant student loan debt. APTA has
assembled resources to provide guidance for rising
students and soon-to-be professionals.
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