A year in review.
By Alpha Lillstrom Cheng, JD, MA
Legislative Activity
The Private Practice Section’s (PPS) congressional advocacy in 2017 was primarily focused on playing defense. For the majority of the year, the Republican-controlled House and Senate were focused on a broad health care package that sought to replace or reform many provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including eroding the requirement that qualified health insurance plans must include 10 essential health benefits (EHBs), one of which is rehabilitative and habilitative care.
A wild ride in Washington, D.C.
By Jerry Connolly, PT, CAE
It’s been a wild ride in Washington during the first eight months of the 115th Congress and the Trump administration.
Congress takes the job to their home districts.
By Alpha Lillstrom Cheng, JD, MA
It’s August! For many that means a long-awaited vacation. For members of Congress it’s when they return to their home districts for the August recess. Although they are not in session in Washington, DC, from July 31 through Labor Day, the term recess is a misnomer, which is why it is officially called the “at-home work period.” This is because your legislators are going to be criss-crossing the district and meeting with constituents. You should expect your lawmakers and their staff to be available to discuss issues that are important to you as a private practice physical therapist.
Quality Payment Programs
By Alpha Lillstrom Cheng, JD, MA
As you know, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for developing, proposing, and finalizing regulations in order to implement health care–related legislation that has been passed by Congress and signed into law. On behalf of the more than 4,200 members of the Private Practice Section, PPS regularly analyzes and provides stakeholder input in the form of “comments” to proposed rules that pertain to private practice physical therapy.
Bundled Payment Program
By Alpha Lillstrom Cheng, JD, MA
As you know, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for developing, proposing, and finalizing regulations in order to implement health care–related legislation that has been passed by Congress and signed into law. The regulatory process consists of publishing proposed rules for public viewing and requesting stakeholder input in the form of “comments.” On behalf of our over 4,200 members, the Private Practice Section (PPS) regularly analyzes and responds to regulatory activity that pertains to private practice physical therapy.
In recent years, payment for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries has been moving away from the standard fee-for-service model and toward payment on the basis of quality; therefore, regulatory proposals relevant to the practice of and payment for physical therapy care have been increasing in number and complexity. This year three such rules will go into effect. In the March issue of Impact, this column covered the changes in the 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), which resulted in payment adjustments for care provided by physical therapists and other providers who are paid under the fee schedule. In this column, I will discuss the planned expansion of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) bundling program and the impact this policy could have on physical therapists in private practice.
