Using Yoga Therapeutically

On September 30^th the Long Beach/South Bay hosted a Town Hall meeting at Torrance Memorial Hospital.

 Dave Hayes, CPTA President and Cheryl Resnik, CPTA Board Member discussed current legislation and the impact it has on our profession.

 As many of you know, workers compensation has been making headlines in the news (in between the Governor recall). At the beginning of the legislative year, 14 bills tried to address the fraud and abuse that is abundant in workers compensation claims. The media claims that California and Texas are out of control when it comes to workers compensation payments. Currently, the average number of visits made to physical therapists is 14-18 and 34 to chiropractors per claim.  On September 30^th, Governor Davis signed SB 228, a single bill that may limit physical therapy and chiropractic visits to 24. CPTA hopes to influence the writing of the rules and regulations of this bill and prevent chiropractors from billing an additional 24 visits as physical therapy once a client has been seen for 24 visits by a chiropractor.

 SB77, the modernization of the PT Practice Act was another topic of discussion. When the legislation was first introduced, opposition was abundant (nurses, doctors, chiropractors, orthotists, prosthetists and occupational therapists). The CPTA board and staff have worked hard to educate these groups in addition to legislators. The bill has since been amended, but still includes language for a physical therapists to provide a diagnosis (movement related, not a disease or disease process) and provide prevention and wellness services. The goal of SB77 is to have a bill that reflects current physical therapy practice. An interim hearing will be held in October or November this year with all interested parties attending. Early in 2004, SB77 is scheduled to be heard by the assembly and state. You can help support the bill by writing to your senator or assemblyperson and urging them to support SB77.  Click on this link to locate your legislator  http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html.

Concurrent Resolution No. 92 (edited for newsletter)

RESOLUTION CHAPTER 100 Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 92—Relative to Physical Therapy Month. [Filed with Secretary of State July 21, 2003.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST ACR 92, Cohn. Physical Therapy Month.  This measure would proclaim the month of October 2003 as Physical Therapy Month.  WHEREAS, Physical therapists are universally recognized and promoted as the practitioners of choice for persons with conditions that affect movement, function, health, and wellness; ……(abbreviated for article)

WHEREAS, The California Physical Therapy Association is dedicated to the promotion of health maintenance by way of consultation, education, evaluation, treatment, and advocacy; and WHEREAS, The American Physical Therapy Association, and the California Physical Therapy Association will observe Physical Therapy Month, October 2003; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California proclaims the month of October 2003 as Physical Therapy Month, and be it further  Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit sufficient copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.

The Margaret Rood Award of Recognition

 Purpose:     To recognize and honor a member of the Long Beach – South Bay district for their dedication to the District and the profession of Physical Therapy.

 Criteria:      Exemplary professional activity both within the LB-SB district and the APTA.  This may include holding office, recruiting members, professional presentations, scholarly activity, willingness to share knowledge and expertise in his/her practice area, knowledge of practice issues and the external environment affecting PT, etc.

 How:           Submit a short narrative (via e-mail to [email protected]) describing the Nominee’s qualities for the Margaret Rood Award.

Award Presentation:     November 12, 2003 at the LB-SB District Meeting.

 National News

Edited to include info from APTA's PT Bulletin:
>   An Arkansas physical therapist who was fined by the state’s chiropractic board has created a Web site to alert other PTs about how the decision limits the scope of physical therapy practice as defined by the state’s practice act.
>
> In December 2002, the Arkansas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners fined APTA member Michael Teston, PT, $10,000 for using “chiropractic technique.” Teston is appealing the decision to the Circuit Court. According to Teston’s Web site, the Chiropractic Board reported to the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards that its number one achievement in 2002 was fining Teston for practicing chiropractic without a license. The board also reported that one of its biggest challenges for 2003 would be to continue to discourage physical therapists from performing procedures that chiropractors consider to be chiropractic.
>
> APTA’s Board of Directors in December approved a matching grant of up to $10,000 to the Arkansas Chapter [http://www.arpta.org/] with respect to funds the Chapter raises to support Teston’s case. For more information on Teston’s case, go to www.defendphysicaltherapy.com/.

 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

SB 77 The Modernization of Physical Therapy Act   This bill will allow Californians to have direct access to physical therapy services.  The result will be more efficient use of our resources.  SB77 has now become a two year bill which means there is still a lot of work ahead to ensure its passage.  The APTA is working to educate supporters and opponents about meanings and implications of the bill.  In their endeavors to educate legislators and health care professionals, clarification of misconceptions have resulted in less opposition to certain language.  The bill will be heard in January, 2004 in the Senate Business and Professions Committee.  It is important that the legislators are educated about our profession and the services we provide.  They have received a lot of misinformation and opposition from other groups including the chiropractors and occupational therapists.  There is a great need for a show of support through letter writing to the legislators as well as financial contributions to the Modernization Fund.  Visit the California chapter website for more information (www.ccapta.org).

 Medicare Cap  For more details go to http://www.cms.gov/manuals/pm trans/AB03085.pdf.

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