<p><font size="1" face="Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"
color="#4f604f"
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align="left"
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size="4" face="Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" color="#819681"
xsscleaned="color:#819681;font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><font
color="#4f604f"><font size="3"><strong>Demand Congress Act on
Medicare</strong></font></font><font size="2" color="#000000">Components are
asked to remind their members to visit APTA's <a target="_blank"
linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001z7Nb_O8RXMQEZ14EL3KNlDYEkOYRmc6rk_hIsjR0zqMkwjakZY8qw2XN3b5Sl1b9qEAu-2M4YxgwHOuXw1I5bfxkCvdto0BPuRGwq6-hbw5wOxFh4fZiZY7v6y0HlcLrslu7_wc__e2RANmj0zzZ71GBmKMH4G2UDm_pLMQExFIy7jgW-Mk0t7LwtTNIe1ToSIkNLzj_GjQ7OXcU8MVQsFUYyS01ZHQ4Zv6UPzZy4oGrwPe3DS1wHXMz5CJMZuxgZ3BdpUpY7by5u7wH-3xqBydc0dXxkLwzkqF0q8cW5WDLKavYT0xa2Q=="><font
color="#0000ff">Medicare 2008: Stay Active, Be Prepared Web site</font></a>to
access information and advocacy resources on pending Medicare policies
and congressional developments. With Congress expected to wrap up
year-end legislative business in the next 2 weeks, no details regarding
the final Medicare package have been released. Without congressional
intervention, the therapy caps and physician fee schedule cuts will
take effect January 1. APTA's online resources can help physical
therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students prepare for
scheduled policy changes, while demanding that Congress take action
against them.</font></font></span></font></p><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;"><span
align="left"
xsscleaned="color:#819681;font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><font
size="4" face="Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" color="#819681"
xsscleaned="color:#819681;font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;"><font
size="2" color="#000000"></font></font></span></font><p><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
color="#000000"><font color="#4f604f"><font size="2"><strong><font size="3">PQRI
Conference Call Registration Deadline Is Tuesday</font></strong></font><font
size="2"><font color="#000000">Please alert your members of an upcoming
conference call covering the <a target="_blank" linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001z7Nb_O8RXMS5r-JWrUX5KL3BKNWRjgT7y6wLdMwxCVmhQjMnZpHBhj4AHBNUmi7djKA5e4LhJGYKqrC_CeGrN29nIsc3S0wpj5nxdsMd5suMM6cKoccJg3kYvGB3TIc3IHzCJ5zjEE0gld0XoWUu1zIFNlVdJxrS8R_QqxPJax3FAJGlG9uw1-a_Yroy5nr8uXfrR9YYDePr5elb9asjOw5G1HJt7s2pvVchnNveajsWSFCKbRkIQ8WcGMPgPjYQ0Owbedit4r2Elvw7yT-i4g=="><font
color="#0000ff">2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative</font></a>
(PQRI). The call, sponsored by the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid
Services' (CMS) Provider Communications Group, will take place from
3:00 to 5:00 pm EST, next Wednesday, December 19. <a target="_blank"
linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001z7Nb_O8RXMRAGc2c0X39bf275QLtCSp8_caO9VDAV13mzPo1JuHm6h0gtSugEWrh-sv6XPPFjslLOTH76PRRuRvxxberRViya9QHIjymL7_zNCwl1RRa-dqM736xFRe9kuGy_lSYgOFOcqdUghpCw54mX-gmJEZ0mqQRL9Db08IyIC1Q8-uIXQ2mc4zZcDGZ4AUEjnASF4E="><font
color="#0000ff">Registration</font></a>
closes at 3:00 pm EST, December 18, or when available space has been
filled. The call will cover the 2008 PQRI program and will allow
eligible professionals to ask questions of CMS experts. Diabetic foot
care measures have been added to physical therapy <a target="_blank"
linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001z7Nb_O8RXMT1Iu4yHHfKjRfN1MOCD77JgahIkVDDIX_gR_1UmjULCVPkNqNhlyroNyWxFzfRA3jrvZpIaIraT4tXlXV0jNlXo9jNPZ4K09m0Xpefxp9VAQWBTJj36-Tbrv2qfofvrI3JPD15Y_eetnuk4a-uqj8exhVwo4VbrcbRdwp4PokcBYBx6C8jF45A0wDOIwxq9bjGeka0JQT7AYN_UupNj7ZZlI9IGeT2PDBhZG-w4yS25g=="><font
color="#0000ff">quality measures</font></a> in 2008. Materials for the call will
be posted at least one day prior to the teleconference on CMS's <a
target="_blank" linktype="undefined"
href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001z7Nb_O8RXMSS7_QsFQ30NxL6xhbILEIQ5GUwDpu02103knE-VBhM4sGp0mOrth_kCiEvkE14dFc73dLANwYoZbJPdTgvY3N2SWKbNKYBNX_x_45Z7Llbu2Q4ZvhxQEe8"><font
color="#0000ff">PQRI Web page</font></a>.</font>
</font></font></font></font></p>