From office at ptidaho.org Mon Jul 9 12:19:19 2007 From: office at ptidaho.org (office at ptidaho.org) Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2007 12:19:19 -0600 Subject: [List] CMS Proposes Fee Schedule Update Message-ID: <20070709121919.5cx00cdc4ksk8swg@webmail.boisecomputerservice.net> Info from APTA. Jill Cooper, IPTA CMS Proposes Fee Schedule Update On July 2, CMS proposed revisions to payment rates and policies under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) (for a summary, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=2239&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=1%2C+2%2C+3%2C+4%2C+5&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&year=&desc=&cboOrder=date). The proposed rule (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/physicianfeesched/downloads/CMS-1385-P.pdf?agree=yes&next=Accept) includes an estimated 9.9% reduction in Medicare payments as a result of the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. Over the past 5 years, however, Congress has stepped in to prevent cuts. Comments in response to the proposed rule will be due to CMS by August 31. A final rule will be published around November 1 and will take effect January 1. APTA will submit comments in response to the proposal. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.ptidaho.org/pipermail/list/attachments/20070709/bb70425e/attachment.html From office at ptidaho.org Sun Jul 15 12:47:53 2007 From: office at ptidaho.org (office at ptidaho.org) Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:47:53 -0600 Subject: [List] Professional opportunities from APTA Message-ID: <20070715124753.pcticsejacko8g8o@webmail.boisecomputerservice.net> Here are some items from APTA that might be of interest. Jill Cooper, IPTA. PT 2008 CALL FOR PROPOSALS DEADLINE JULY 25 The submission deadline for PT 2008 education sessions and preconference courses is July 25. PT 2007 was a great success. Don?t let your members miss the opportunity to be part of PT 2008! Submit a proposal for a 90-minute or 3-hour education session or an all-day preconference course. PT 2008: APTA?s Annual Conference & Exposition will be held from June 11-14, 2008, in San Antonio, Texas. All proposals must be submitted online at http://apta.abstractcentral.com/abstract. Please contact Nicole Klett at nicoleklett at apta.org with any questions. ?NOMINATIONS FOR CLINICAL EDUCATION STANDARDS CONFERENCE DUE AUGUST 3 In response to Goal 1 of the Education Strategic Plan to develop standards in clinical education, the Education Department is planning a consensus-based conference December 13-15 on physical therapist professional Clinical Education Standards. This conference will include 30 participants from a variety of stakeholder groups. Issues that this conference hopes to address in clinical education include qualifications/criteria for clinical educators (including APTA membership, CI Education Credentialing, residents, other health professionals as CIs), qualifications/criteria for clinical sites (including accreditation), academic program and clinical site infrastructure required for clinical education (including partnerships, placements, expectations for the program and for the clinical site, communication, structure for the learning experience), financing clinical education, and clinical education models (including licensure issues). We are inviting nominations for the identified stakeholders for this conference and invite your members to complete a nomination form at http://www.apta.org//AM/aptaapps/restricted/education/nomination/index.cfm (enter password CESCC when prompted). Please return your completed nomination to jodygandy at apta.org no later than August 3. ?SACE APPLICATIONS DUE AUGUST 17 The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) is accepting applications for appointment to the Specialization Academy of Content Experts (SACE). SACE was established to create a pool of certified specialists and content experts to write items for the specialist certification examinations. Newly appointed members of SACE are required to attend an item-writing workshop, which will be conducted by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) at the 2008Combined Sections Meeting in Nashville. SACE appointments are for 2-year terms beginning January 1, 2008. Board-certified specialists and individuals who are content experts in one of the following practice areas are eligible for appointment: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiologic, Geriatric, Neurologic, Orthopaedic, Pediatric, Sports, and Women?s Health Physical Therapy. The deadline for submitting applications is August 17. For more information about the program and to request an application, contact APTA?s Specialist Certification Department at ext 8520 or e-mail sonyamangum at apta.org. Applications can also be printed from the link at http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Councils_and_Committees&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=22088. A current resume or curriculum vitae must be submitted with the application. Materials may be faxed to 703/706-8186. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.ptidaho.org/pipermail/list/attachments/20070715/4bdefbab/attachment.html From office at ptidaho.org Mon Jul 16 15:01:10 2007 From: office at ptidaho.org (office at ptidaho.org) Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:01:10 -0600 Subject: [List] Audio conference sponsored by IPTA/APTA Message-ID: <20070716150110.h7tyxzddfcw08wcc@webmail.boisecomputerservice.net> Here's an opportunity to earn CEU's without leaving your office. Two sessions, Aug. 14 and 28, 2007 11-12:30 pm Mtn. Time.? "Can Your Physical Therapy Claims Withstand an Audit" Flyer attached. Jill Cooper, IPTA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.ptidaho.org/pipermail/list/attachments/20070716/3dabb4df/attachment.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: audioflyer.doc Type: application/msword Size: 39424 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.ptidaho.org/pipermail/list/attachments/20070716/3dabb4df/attachment.doc From office at ptidaho.org Mon Jul 23 15:21:40 2007 From: office at ptidaho.org (office at ptidaho.org) Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:21:40 -0600 Subject: [List] Two items from APTA Message-ID: <20070723152140.yknsek71e04s8s4g@webmail.boisecomputerservice.net> Here's a couple of items from APTA that may be of interest. Jill Cooper, IPTA PTA URGES CONTACTING CONGRESS ON THERAPY CAP, FEE SCHEDULE Physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and students are being encouraged to tell their members of Congress to repeal the Medicare therapy cap and prevent fee schedule cuts. APTA has issued an Action Alert (http://vocusgr.vocus.com/grspace2/WebPublish/Controller.aspx?SiteName=APTA&Definition=ViewIssue&IssueID=3419) for grassroots advocates, and the Association?s Legislative Action Center (http://vocusgr.vocus.com/grspace2/WebPublish/controller.aspx?SiteName=APTA&Definition=Home&XSL=Home&SV_Section=Home) provides resources, including a sample letter (http://vocusgr.vocus.com/grspace2/WebPublish/Controller.aspx?SiteName=APTA&Definition=ContactLegislators&IssueID=3419), for contacting Congress. In 2006, Congress allowed the therapy caps to go into effect, but authorized Medicare to allow exceptions for medically necessary coverage through 2007. HR 748/S 450 permanently repeals the cap, and more cosponsors are needed to continue building support for the legislation. Meanwhile, Congressional action is needed to block a proposed 9.9 % reduction in Medicare payments due to the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. Congress has stopped cuts over the past 5 years. Congress will be debating Medicare legislation over the next 2 weeks, so now is the time to contact members to repeal the cap and prevent fee schedule cuts. ?JULY 31 APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION EXAMS In 2007, an additional 828 physical therapists achieved board-certification by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). To date, 7,573 of your colleagues have achieved this professional distinction. Physical therapists with at least 2,000 hours of direct patient care in one of seven specialty areas (Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiologic, Geriatrics, Neurologic, Orthopaedics, Pediatrics, and Sports) may be eligible for certification by ABPTS. Information on additional minimum eligibility requirements and the application booklet can be downloaded from the Specialist Certification Web page at http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Exams&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=203&ContentID=22444. Please remind your members that applications for the 2008 specialist certification examinations must be postmarked by July 31. The examinations will be administered at Prometric Testing Centers from February 23 to March 8, 2008. Please contact the Specialist Certification Department at ext 8520 or at spec-cert at apta.org if you have any questions or would like additional information. ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.ptidaho.org/pipermail/list/attachments/20070723/c7d2ec56/attachment.html From office at ptidaho.org Mon Jul 30 12:32:12 2007 From: office at ptidaho.org (office at ptidaho.org) Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:32:12 -0600 Subject: [List] Items from APTA that could be of interest to you Message-ID: <20070730123212.mj5uflfqck04ogww@webmail.boisecomputerservice.net> Here's a few items from APTA's weekly email that I'd like to pass onto Idaho members. Jill Cooper, IPTA Executive Director YOUR RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN SURVEY REQUESTED BY AUGUST 24 ?APTA requests your assistance in completing an Environmental Scan Survey in order that we may gather your views.? Results will be summarized for use in an upcoming Association strategic planning process. An environmental analysis identifies trends or changes that are occurring, or will occur within the next year to several years, which could affect the nature, direction, or viability of the physical therapy profession. The survey is being emailed directly to randomly selected individuals and may also be accessed on APTA's Web site at http://www.apta.org/AM/TemplateRedirect.cfm?Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=41164. Please note that all data collected will be in the aggregate and that no specific comments will be attributed to any individual or organization. Please promote this survey among your membership.? Completed surveys should be e-mailed to environmentalscan at apta.org no later than Friday, August 24, 2007. Questions? Contact Kristy Benton-Grover (kristybenton-grover at apta.org or ext 3251) or Janet Bezner (janetbezner at apta.org or ext 8516). ?CMS Proposes New Reporting Rule The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed rule (www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=2285&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=1%2C+2%2C+3%2C+4%2C+5&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&year=&desc=&cboOrder=date) to clear up confusion over outpatient wound-care payments and implement penalties for certain facilities that do not report on quality measures. In the proposed rule for 2008 hospital outpatient prospective payment, CMS clarifies that physical therapists performing wound-care services under a certified plan of care in an outpatient setting must bill under the physician fee schedule. However, for nurses who provide wound care using the same Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, the services would be placed into an ambulatory payment classification (APC) group and billed under the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). CMS also proposes reducing payments for outpatient hospital departments in 2009 by 2% if they do not report on 10 quality measures identified in the rule. Meanwhile, the agency is considering 30 new quality measures for 2010. One of these is screening for falls risk, which is a measure that physical therapists report under the PQRI program. The proposed rule, which APTA has summarized (www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Hospitals1&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=41332) for members, will be published in the Federal Register on August 2. Comments on the rule will be accepted until September 14. Proposed changes take effect January 1, 2008. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.ptidaho.org/pipermail/list/attachments/20070730/d01dca47/attachment.html