That is OUTSTANDING!!! I just renewed my AOTA membership, money well spent!!!!
Thanks Chuck!!! Ron ----- Original Message ----- From: Chuck Willmarth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subj: [OTlist] ATP (Update) > Thought list members might be interested in this development. > Chuck > ******* > http://www.aota.org/News/AdvocacyNews/pw.aspx > AOTA Victory: Medicare Removes Certification Requirement on OT Power > Wheelchair Evaluations > After more than 2 years of advocacy, AOTA is happy to announce its > success in eliminating an additional requirement for occupational > therapy wheelchair evaluations under Medicare. Reimbursement and > Regulatory Policy staff convinced the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid > Services (CMS) to eliminate a requirement that would have required an > additional certification for occupational therapists (OTs) performing > wheelchair evaluations for higher-end power devices. > AOTA had responded to this change, proposed to be implemented in 2008, > because it caused deep concern about access for Medicare beneficiaries > and an unwarranted restriction on an evaluation that is clearly within > the scope of occupational therapy practice. > The provision was included in the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment > (DME) contractor's Local Coverage Determination (LCD) Policy for Power > Mobility Devices (PMDs) released in 2006. > Specifically, the original LCD required that occupational therapists and > physical therapists attain certification as RESNA Assistive Technology > Practitioners (ATPs) in order to perform the specialty evaluation > required for patients receiving Group 2, Group 3, or Group 4 power > wheelchairs. The same LCD was adopted by each of the medical directors > across the country, making it a national policy in effect. > Initially, AOTA voiced grave concerns that the policy, set to take > effect April 1, 2008, did not measure a therapist's competence in > performing evaluations and that it would unreasonably restrict a portion > of OT practice. Further, it would result in an access problem for > Medicare beneficiaries because of the limited number of OTs with an ATP. > AOTA then met with the Acting Administrator of CMS, Herb Kuhn, to put > these concerns forward. That was followed by a formal request for > reconsideration of the LCD, including a telephone conference call with > regional Medicare medical directors. On December 3, 2007, the DME > medical directors told AOTA of their decision to accept AOTA's > recommendation and eliminate the requirement for RESNA ATP > certification. > No additional certification for wheelchair evaluations will be required > as of April 2008. > According to the ruling by the medical directors, the current > requirement will remain in place, that is, the patient must have a > specialty evaluation performed by a licensed/certified medical > professional such as an OT or physical therapist, or by a physician who > has specific training and experience in rehabilitation wheelchair > evaluations. The evaluation must document the medical necessity for the > wheelchair and its special features. > AOTA made the argument to CMS that the code of ethics for occupational > therapy supports the expectation that an OT performing such an > evaluation would only do so if she or he was competent by reason of > training or experience. AOTA also reminds practitioners to be sure their > competence and training is appropriate for the performance of such > specialty evaluations. AOTA continues to support continuing education > and training as part of a practitioner's lifelong responsibility to > provide quality services to clients. > The local DME Medicare contractors will publish an article on their > individual Web sites that notifies providers of this decision. This > information will also be incorporated in a future revision of the Power > Mobility Devices LCD. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Chuck Willmarth > Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 8:35 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [OTlist] ATP > Ron, > Just to clarify, AOTA does not have a seating and wheel mobility > certification...the ad hoc group is examining the need for such a > certification from what I understand. > I was suggesting that a broader level, AOTA's Board and Specialty > Certifications are not tied to reimbursement. > We are stilling waiting to hear from the DME Medical Directors in > response to our request that the withdraw the ATP certification > requirement. > Chuck > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Ron Carson > Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 7:04 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [OTlist] ATP > Hello Theresa: > Thanks for the update. > In an earlier message, I think Chuck Wilmarth indicated that AOTA's w/c > seating certification is NOT tied to reimbursement. Is this accurate? > Is AOTA not pursing acceptance of their certification with CMS instead > of only the ATP certification. The ATP certification is such over-kill > for many, many w/c evals. If the AOTA certification is NOT accepted by > Medicare as a qualifying credential, why will OT's pursue it? > Thanks, > Ron > ----- Original Message ----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 > To: [email protected] <[email protected]> > Subj: [OTlist] ATP >> Laura: The seating and wheeled ad hoc committee is in the process of >> studying the issues around this topic and will be surveying membership >> soon (probably this week so look for the survey through AOTA > One-Minute >> update). After that we will be putting together a report to the >> commission on practice of whether to pursue a certification process >> through AOTA or not. >> Theresa Gregorio-Torres > -- > Options? > www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com > Archive? > www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > ************************************************************************ > ************** > Enroll in Boston University's post-professional Master of Science for > OTs Online. Gain the skills and credentials to propel your career. > www.otdegree.com/otn > ************************************************************************ > ************** > -- > Options? > www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com > Archive? > www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > ************************************************************************ > ************** > Enroll in Boston University's post-professional Master of Science for > OTs Online. Gain the skills and credentials to propel your career. > www.otdegree.com/otn > ************************************************************************ > ************** -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] ************************************************************************************** Enroll in Boston University's post-professional Master of Science for OTs Online. Gain the skills and credentials to propel your career. www.otdegree.com/otn **************************************************************************************
