Illinois Hospital Association

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March 20, 2007

Strategic Planning and Priority Issues for 2007

The Post Acute Care Constituency Section Rehabilitation Interest Group met by telephone on March 6, 2007, to identify areas of importance to IHA members providing rehabilitation services and to prioritize the work of the committee relevant to these areas.

Members of the PACCSC participating in the conference call were: Bill Adair, M.D., Jim Osborn, Ric Erickson, Lynne Barnes, Dan Woloszyn, Connie Scott, Christine Sommerfeldt, and Karen Ortmann. IHA Staff, MaryLynn M. Clarke and Beth McKay-Anaya also participated.

Issues identified by the group as worthy of the committee’s focused attention during 2007 included the following issues, which were reviewed and finalized by the Post Acute Care Steering Committee at their quarterly meeting on March 12, 2006.

2007 Priorities

  • Workforce shortages – continue the work already begun by the PAC Workforce Shortages Subcommittee in 2006 and also address:
  • physician employment of physical therapists
  • doctoral level requirements for physical therapists
  • jury duty (exemption) in professions in which shortages exist
    • Medicaid Advocacy to streamline prior approval requirements and to add licensed therapist assistants to the Medicaid provider pool. Compare benefits of prior approval recommendations in comparison to primary care physician referral model.
  • State legislative issues:
  • licensure bills – direct access (SB 1626)
  • loan relief for physical therapists (HB 1134)
  • physical therapist – chiropractors (SB617)
  • health plan payment related to accident patients who recover settlements from a carrier other than the carrier under whom they were initially covered (SB747)
     
  • Federal legislative and regulatory issues:
  • 75% rule
  • Documentation related to 75% rule issues and in general; support S543
  • medical necessity documentation requirements related to inpatient and outpatient care
  • therapy caps (SR450 and HR748)
  • loan relief for physical therapists (HR 1134)
     
  • Information sharing among Post Acute Care Constituency Section members on the whole as well as within steering committee
  • develop a forum for information exchange by sharing key discussion items of the steering committee with entire Section (e.g. Following meetings, send a summary of major items to the Section and list committee member contact information for questions and input)
    • Develop and provide an education program about new Medicare medical necessity requirements that take effect on April 1, 2007 (inpatient and outpatient)
  • CMS Post Acute Care Assessment Instrument
  • monitor development of assessment tool and identify and member impact