*NEW* Employee Profile— Paula |
Name: Paula Sharits
Nick-name: Pending
Length of employment with Preferred: Brand new!
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Job Title and responsibilities: Network Development Associate- membership sales, new member welcome calls.
What you like most about your job: The posiitve atmosphere in the office and the opportunity for leaning and new challenges. |
Favorite Pastimes : Watching my daughters dance. They make me so proud!
About your family: I have two daughters - Sarah, 18 and Melissa, 15. They are the lights of my life. |
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Therapy Cap and Medicare Fee Schedule Cuts- There's Still Time-Act Now! |
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Congress is scheduled to adjourn the 2003 session on November 21st. YOU can still make a difference! Through their Legislative Action Alert, the APTA prompts its members to "Contact your Members of Congress immediately and urge them not to adjourn for the year without passing a Medicare bill that: includes a moratorium on the therapy cap, includes a demonstration project on direct access, and prevents severe cuts in payments under the Part B fee schedule."
The anticipated change to the 2004 medicare fee schedule is 4.5% REDUCTION. Without Congressional intervention, the methodology currently in place to determine payments will apply. From the CMS website: “The Medicare reform package now pending before Congress contains a provision that would adjust these payments for 2004,” said CMS Administrator Tom Scully. “However, CMS has no option other than to base this final rule on the current law. If Congress does pass legislation improving payments to physicians, CMS will implement the new payment rates as quickly as possible.”
To read the October 30th Medicare release referenced above in its entirety, go to Medicare's Website. Go to your professional association's website for a quick connection to your members of Congress and example letters. APTA.org | OATA.org | ASHA.org |
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Hot Resource! |
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Check out www.providerlaw.com. This site provides legal background and resources to help providers. They attack provider-sensitive subjects, from wrongful medical necessity denials, to combating health plan payment delay tactics. They also provide quick links for providers to fight the therapy cap (including letters drafted by the APTA). Go to the website and click on “public” and then "public directory". Access to this section of the website is free. You can also become a Member and have access to legal expertise to help you with issues such as claims and collections. *Our thanks to Matt Middlebrook from OCCUMED in Texas for the scoop!
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PREFERRED Tidbits |
New Contract
PREFERRED has recently signed a contract with the Riverside County Foundation for Medical Care (RCFMC) in California. Members in that coiunty will now have accss to RCFMC's PPO, EPO, and Workers' Compensation products. For more information call our Provider Relations department at 800.664.5240 |
Gift Giving: |
The Foundation for Physical Therapy continues its fund raising, and PREFERRED is a proud sponsor. For $25.00, you may purchase a raffle ticket to win a brand new Mustang Convertible. Better yet, for $100.00, you receive five tickets. Do something special for your hard-working staff.
Call PREFERRED today and we will be happy to send the tickets to you. The raffle will end at Combined Sections Meeting, February, 2004 in Nashville. Come see us in booth # 849!
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