A news article released by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) on March 5 2009 stated that "New qualifications for physical therapists who work in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will help ensure that America's veterans continue to receive the highest quality rehabilitation for their musculoskeletal and neurological conditions and other impairments." This will further increase the quality of physical therapy care that the veterans receive through the VHA.
According to APTA President R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD, the approval of these standard will assist the VHA in recruiting and retaining expert physical therapist. He continued, "In addition, these standards will bring the VHA up to date in current professional practice in physical therapy by recognizing the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and physical therapists who achieve board certification in a specialty area."
The APTA applauds the VHA for acknowledging the important role physical therapists play in rehabilitating our nation's veterans and again I join them in doing so. This is great news for the veterans who suffer from many different illnesses. I happy to see a lot more being done for them first the representatives now the VHA, well done! I think the veterans have earned it and deserve this. Thank you!
For more information visit: http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=News_Archive&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=55878
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Legislations Aims to Increase Access to Physical Therapist
On April 1st a news article was released by the APTA about a bill that was introduced in the House of Representatives on the previous day that would make it easier and more efficient for Medicare beneficiaries who need physical therapist services to obtain treatment. The Bill, The Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act (HR 1829), was introduced by three representatives, Representatives Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Tim Murphy (R-PA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). The bill will allow physical therapist to evaluate and treat patients who are beneficiaries under the Medicare B plan, who require outpatient physical therapy services in states where direct access is authorized, without a physician’s referral or certification of the plan care.
According to the APTA, these beneficiaries include seniors and persons with disabilities and they usually need physical therapist services more. They are usually faced with unnecessary barriers in order to have access to a physical therapist with the current referral/certification plan. This plan often cause delays and prevents these patients from getting the care they need in a timely manner. This bill will reverse this; making the services of physical therapist readily available and more cost-effective for Medicare beneficiaries.
Again we see representatives introducing bills that can help the people of this great nation by providing services that can improve their health and well being. First it was our veterans now it is our civilians who need it more, including our seniors and people with disabilities. I applaud these representatives, I am happy to see that there are more representatives that care about the people of this country and want the best for them health and other wise. Again I hope this bill is passed and that more is done to make physical therapist more accessible and affordable for all. This is another step in the right direction for our people and the profession of physical therapy. Thank you!
For more information about this bill visit the website at:
http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Media&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=57241
According to the APTA, these beneficiaries include seniors and persons with disabilities and they usually need physical therapist services more. They are usually faced with unnecessary barriers in order to have access to a physical therapist with the current referral/certification plan. This plan often cause delays and prevents these patients from getting the care they need in a timely manner. This bill will reverse this; making the services of physical therapist readily available and more cost-effective for Medicare beneficiaries.
Again we see representatives introducing bills that can help the people of this great nation by providing services that can improve their health and well being. First it was our veterans now it is our civilians who need it more, including our seniors and people with disabilities. I applaud these representatives, I am happy to see that there are more representatives that care about the people of this country and want the best for them health and other wise. Again I hope this bill is passed and that more is done to make physical therapist more accessible and affordable for all. This is another step in the right direction for our people and the profession of physical therapy. Thank you!
For more information about this bill visit the website at:
http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Media&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=57241
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