The inaugural class of 13 participants graduated from APTA's Education Leadership Institute (ELI) on July 19. The first cohort completed a yearlong higher education leadership program that consisted of 9 online modules provided by nonphysical therapy content expert faculty; 3, 2-day face-to-face interactive mentorship sessions with ongoing mentorship provided by experienced physical therapy program directors throughout the year; higher education mentorship provided administrators within participants’ institutions/organizations; implementation of a personal leadership development plan; and implementation of an institution-based leadership project. ELI graduates cultivated a shared learning community and network with opportunities to integrate curriculum content within their current and future education leadership roles and responsibilities.
The goal of ELI is to develop physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education program directors with the leadership skills to facilitate change and improvement in the academic environment of the 21st century, think strategically to creatively implement solutions in education to respond to changes in health care and society, and engage in public discourse that advances the physical therapy profession. The institute’s shared partners in the promotion, support, and implementation of ELI include the Academic Council, Education Section, and PTA Educators Special Interest Group. More information about ELI can be found on APTA's website.
ELI graduates are identified from the back row from left to right: Karen Abraham, PT, PhD (Shenandoah University, VA - Education, Orthopaedic, Women’s Health Sections); Amy Heath, PT, DPT, OCS (Temple University, PA - Education, Orthopaedic Sections); Kevin Brueilly, PT, PhD (Lynchburg College, VA & Wingate University, NC - Education Research, Acute Care Sections); Stephanie Kelly, PT, PhD (University of Indianapolis, IN - Education, Geriatrics, Health Policy & Administration, Neurology, Research Sections); Kevin Chui, PT, DPT, PhD, GCS, OCS (Sacred Heart University, CT - Education, Orthopaedic, Geriatrics Sections); Jill Horbacewicz, PT, PhD, OCS (Touro College, NY - Education Section); Mary Dockter, PT, PhD, MEd (University of Mary, ND - Education, Women’s Health Sections); Denise Bender, PT, JD, MED (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, OK - Education, Geriatrics Sections); Diane Heislein, PT, DPT, MS, OCS (Boston University, MA - Education, Orthopaedic, Oncology Sections); Katherine Harris, PT, PhD (Quinnipiac University, CT - Education, Acute Care, Clinical Electro & Wound Management, Oncology Sections); Terri Dinsmore, PT, DPT (Clarke State Community College, OH - Education Section); Julia Chevan, PT, PhD, MPH, OCS (Springfield College, MA - Education, Research, Orthopaedic, Health Policy & Administration Sections); and Erin Conrad, PT, DPT, MS, OCS, MT, FAAOMPT (University of St Augustine for Health Sciences, FL - Education, Orthopaedic Sections)
The insurance coverage provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have a net cost of $1,168 billion over the 2012-2022 period—compared with $1,252 billion projected in March 2012 for that 11-year period—for a net reduction of $84 billion, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) announced yesterday.
The projected net savings to the federal government is a result from the Supreme Court's decision allowing states to choose whether or not to expand eligibility for coverage under their Medicaid programs. The reductions in spending from lower Medicaid enrollment are expected to more than offset the increase in costs from greater participation in the newly established exchanges. CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) now estimate that fewer people will be covered by the Medicaid program, more people will obtain health insurance through the newly established exchanges, and more people will be uninsured. The magnitude of those changes varies from year to year.
In 2022, for example, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are expected to cover about 6 million fewer people than previously estimated, about 3 million more people will be enrolled in exchanges, and about 3 million more people will be uninsured. These estimates are dominated by the movements of people losing eligibility for Medicaid. However, other smaller shifts in coverage also are expected to occur.
Federal spending over the 2012-2022 period for Medicaid and CHIP now is projected to be $289 billion less than previously expected, whereas the estimated costs of tax credits and other subsidies for the purchase of health insurance through the exchanges (and related spending) have risen by $210 billion. Small changes in other components of the budget estimates account for the remaining $5 billion of the difference.
The report issued yesterday does not include the budgetary impact of other provisions of the ACA.
Additionally, CBO and JCT found that the latest repeal bill (HR 6079) would cause a net increase in federal budget deficits of $109 billion over the 2013-2022 period. Specifically, they estimate that HR 6079 would reduce direct spending by $890 billion and reduce revenues by $1 trillion between 2013 and 2022, adding $109 billion to federal budget deficits over that period.