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align="left"
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color="#4f604f"><font size="2" color="#4f604f"><font
size="3"><strong>Foundation's NIFTI and PODS Applications Due January
15</strong></font><font size="2" color="#000000">The Foundation for Physical
Therapy's on-line application system has been opened to accept applications for
2008 for the <a target="_blank" linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ImZIq5tsorlg2LnaXfauFzUkRAwY5uMKULLtbVGj_-Trv1UBRVWgpq-CpakIvRE68hqCNWU8942B3ctnzjLXyNhI_PyPdRNwz37FA-0MucyYWV6Z4fCeYta4evuaZZMziarYqTEOjjPDQKEJFYU4PlpoBxG8UDOsfGp0FUT_3Z26HJ9_qi_RoOpu2ObDaPvjzxGmkJH64JwHJXnGvfWdqKB9MSrZfUuuaeDQ2KjK1j6W_JuKvuL8jxg4q8gn3VTc"><font
color="#0000ff">New Investigator Fellowship Training Initiative (NIFTI)
fellowship</font></a> and <a target="_blank" linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ImZIq5tsormlsGq6x46EkzzWFhj3UNitNyV-2sjIUr0EOQN7yzveYMx3F5teVdN0HlCjpGBUVcqqGp_K5dxZjrAsuFkpn9Fdn0cpyefdNpr3aly-jp_kNwlyigZBUC5wHSp93DkrzCLitoqOKNBQlkFHmVW88Z5l28QTdVXEndCGl4wzv90pn1g1VH9AhZgJQ4AY-MqkfPZKTOqrq-5gcSJxF5JAPfIZasgqksx40V2S82bSdbW5m6PAGlDTCZRD"><font
color="#0000ff">Promotion for Doctoral Studies I and II (PODS I and
II)</font></a>
scholarships. Applications must be submitted online by 5:00 pm EST,
January 15, 2008. For further information on these and other Foundation
programs, visit the <a target="_blank" linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ImZIq5tsorkAhIaq3vHSfDFKnbsQlyn8pT-wapejN6oTnk9f232BvTovNYsdzjVV1_OEhWE-W5wC7qG_b9D_coSAEIuoVENevf-wHyR3R62pXi-sAnV-uMQDCzK9v-nD1g60YQFn4AA=">Foundation's
Web page</a>.</font></font></font></font></span>
</font><div><font size="1" face="Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"
color="#4f604f"
xsscleaned="color:#4F604F;font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"> </font></div><a
name="LETTER.BLOCK10" target="_blank"></a><table width="100%" cols="0"
cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" bordercolor="#bfce85" border="0"
bgcolor="#e8ecda" datapagesize="0" tabindex="0" hidefocus="true"
id="content_LETTER.BLOCK10"
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<tbody><tr>
<td align="left"
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size="1" face="Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" color="#4f604f"
xsscleaned="color:#4F604F;font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:8pt;"><span
align="left"
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size="3" face="Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" color="#819681"
xsscleaned="color:#819681;font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;"><font
color="#4f604f"><strong>APTA Comments on Home Health Rule</strong><font size="2"
color="#000000">APTA members can view <a target="_blank" linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ImZIq5tsorkrPd06_J56qe75VrOxw9BIGHb9lOlkH4Lbwtq4HvHIlodIgDw_RJ6xD2i9ypyrAi_xyh4RCdpsEF6DUgghNh1TDu_ODAv2Sl0vWu6uxj7ve6gK9k5qg_kiXWNng-7qGNOdguq0zkMaI5UZPse5IdxlhyH1EVYHkapTYVgbNMIIAt2f1pf1OG1PFHtZR9KCgPa1n1pZ8klG4vOGws8-R2i8WLdpEI8VQkY="><font
color="#0000ff">comments</font></a> submitted this week to the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on the agency's <a target="_blank"
linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ImZIq5tsornefJwqrwhLgh5oUcW3R2uvrSE-GcdBK-ncZqOM1CQ_d_FtUXriHS4nEQPyP2ksAEX8rmkWR-KrDRaVEFTCMU7bKkJphIk5um4k62cHtNo54V6CSe-ovah7SdK9h2lrpJiZfjId27r5YK32arvjsUweo-X3tL35kI3sClZccbzEdoI5n9u7uqOVr88bnOw6qeeb3V_PA8knlOGaqPqKa_vVf351w4dL1E6Gk3FyCp4mO-eaPyswLvOQAWmFGiT7NFWAzNzsM78gDuSN_ZMhrTP0FTfJSGjamTrn0NdQa8wwo9UOF41UnaeH0n2OD9qaWAIHeqYizj44OduB1HBGS2VNHds7iHYggTZoD-vhz5qt9leZ-wIr1ZhPYN4Exo07kKjhxtjLZPSBElXxxiLUieqJyymKn-TTruzOGz4pDFTZuOqCHU5WCYnFOjOZbBwj05jfAW5kxpL4TFfBt3O1NmEj1yQTehMF-eDscEJ6HGZdIXd0A_AB-J7_hXrrrv64RzPLuL1qLmo7ZFkQGQaJ00qDCpNwF9QNLFpka2mbmNPyWQ=="><font
color="#0000ff">2008 final rule</font> </a>affecting the <a target="_blank"
linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ImZIq5tsorkuePh93zxQAqonP0EaCKlNfewjl6h0JKQ4-fhY9pErT-cMu7B8bXDm9U0vx0ln4C5ZhcFHikaUh1qU7XHhF2elnzh1Pq9dn8XBrRzd1grTfoPMTxmQRTC3"><font
color="#0000ff">Home Health Prospective Payment System</font></a> (HH
PPS). The rule, released in August, reduces home health payments by
approximately 11% through 2011 to offset increases in Medicare
reimbursements. In the comments, APTA disputes CMS's reasoning for the
payment reduction and urges the agency to reconsider its decision. APTA
states that increases in physical therapy services are due to decreases
in other services and changing patient needs. The Association also
encourages CMS to recognize the importance of multidisciplinary
collaboration at home health agencies. Meanwhile, APTA's October 24 <a
target="_blank" linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ImZIq5tsorkPnf7ieSyT0HSYgh_lr0T27OSPC34-8VoNeDBAEZwuvfPGwhFPth6IBNzC1GsKMF6az0Y-fx4uEc08dlCJ63EpDVfKQ_WVGkVJXr6FYJIq1k2fgqvMnuTU6wbs-QMaGov4IX8iEu31m9-MZx6GVoVMT82MBPUcs-Cst2Zw6dMkdPsr-Yj4WNzBCsrMH7jJ_AMTM1HfJ1CEgs2P98mPTt-xSxcC0bcKm1sm7nInDx2YhDepidv9fCXQvMGSK5SfJ_s25ZT20wi3OvAniIRg-jji"><font
color="#0000ff">home health audio conference</font> </a>attracted
approximately 220 participants. The call featured home health experts
and explained the provisions of the 2008 final rule. The CD-ROM
recording of the call, including handouts, will be available after
December 1.  </font></font></font></span></font></td></tr></tbody></table><a
name="LETTER.BLOCK11" target="_blank"></a>

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color="#4f604f"><strong></strong></font></font></span></font>