|
|
american massage therapy association
WASHINGTON CHAPTER
9757 NE Juanita Dr, Suite 107
Kirkland, WA 98034
|
advancing the art, science and practice of massage therapy in washington state
|
|
- Summer Chapter Planning Conference (CPC) in June
- Government & External Affairs Update
- 2014 State Convention Dates!
- Insurance Survey Results
- New law on Administrative Adjudicative Process
- YouTube Video by Deborah Senn, former WA Insurance Commissioner, re: ACA
- Summer WMJ link!
- Massage Research Study
- MAIN Newsflash from SCMTN
- State Healthcare Innovation Network, 8/22 webinar
- Affordable Care Act (ACA) Dialogue
- DOH and L&I Updates & Workshops
|
The 2014 amta-wa Convention will be May 1-4 at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center.  "ROAD TO SUCCESS"
|
Results from our June Survey, 39 people responded in total:
1) Do you accept reimbursement?
YES: 86.8% (33 responded)
NO: 13.2% (5 responded)
2) If you answered yes to the above question, what type of insurance do you bill?
AUTO : 90.9% (30 responded)
MEDICAL: 81.8% (27 responded)
WORKERS COMP: 81.8% (27 responded)
OTHER INSURANCE: 21.2% (7 responded)
|
Washington Massage Journal
Summer 2013
|
The digital version of the Sum mer 2013 issue of the Washington Massage Journal is now available. You now have the option to receive the Journal in a digital version instead of a print version. Should you change your mind and would like to go back to the print version, it's as easy as sending us an email at office@amta-wa.org and we will send future issues via mail. Here is the link to access the Summer 2013 issue. bit.ly/WMJsum13 Enjoy!
|
|
newsflash from SCMTN (Snohomish County Massage Therapists Network - Everett)
|
- September meeting has been bumped from the 9th to the 16th, at the Everett PUD Building, 2320 California Street
- We are currently seeking a speaker for October 14th (Wayne Dumas from MERT has postponed).
- The above changes occurred after the printing of the Summer Massage Journal, so please be aware.
- Further questions? Contact Stephen Wooding, stevelp@netzero.com or 425.776.1307
|
DOH Health Care Record Fees
|
The Washington State Department of Health (department) has officially adopted the updated rule on allowable fees health care providers may charge for searching and duplicating health care records under WAC 246-08-400. The rule was adopted and filed by the department following a public hearing held on June 5, 2013, in Tumwater, Washington. The rule was filed with the Code Reviser's Office on July 1, 2013 (WSR #13-14-092). The updated rule language is attached.
The updated fees are as follows:
· No more than $1.09 per page for the first 30 pages
· No more than .82 per page for all additional pages
· A $24 clerical fee may be charged for searching and handling records
There were no comments received in regard to this rule change.
|
|
|
|
|
e-news
keeping amta-wa members connected & informed
|
|
Chapter Planning Conference at Bastyr
Saturday, June 22, 2013
|
 | |
Chapter Timeline Project Planning by Board & Program Chair Volunteers
|
 | |
2013 amta-wa Board of Directors
(front left to right): Annie Lacroix, 1st VP;Teri Mayo, 3rd VP; Marybeth Berney, President
(back left to right): Scott Lesieur, 2nd VP; David Phillips, Secretary; Susan Cook, Treasurer
|
|
Government & External Affairs Update
|
We are actively involved and engaged as your amta-wa Government and External Affairs Program. With help from attorneys, lobbyists and active and advocating members, we will continue to work to support our members. Thank you for your interest and helping to advocate for our profession. I may be contacted at terigreenlmp@comcast.net if you have any questions or comments. Teri Green, LMP
Government & External Affairs Program Chair
* latest UPDATE: August 2013 *
Regence Postpones Pre-Authorizations for CAM providers.
New physical medicine program launch delayed;
www.wa.regence.com
|
|
new law on administrative review process
|
During the 2013 legislative session, the Washington State Legislature enacted Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1381, which modifies the Washington State Department of Health's (department) administrative adjudicative process by adding an additional opportunity for administrative review.
You can find the new law here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2013-14/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/House/1381-S.SL.pdf .
Under the new law, effective July 28, 2013, a presiding officer in adjudicative proceedings before the Department of Health will enter initial orders in all cases where the Secretary of Health is the final decision maker. These initial decisions will be subject to a new review process conducted by the Secretary or his designee. The designee, referred to as the Reviewing Officer, will oversee the review process and be responsible for issuing final orders.
The new law applies to any type of adjudicative proceeding where the Secretary is the final decision-maker by law.
Should you have questions about this procedural change or the new law, please contact Kelly Cooper, Acting Director of Legislative, Policy and Constituent Relations at Kelly.Cooper@doh.wa.gov or 360-236-4048.
|
 |
IHPC
(Integrative Healthcare Policy Consortium)
|
help contribute to massage research
|
Dear AMTA members,
We are contacting you because of our mutual interest in improving care for patients with chronic back pain. The study involves asking patients who are trying massage for back pain for the first time to complete a web based survey about their pain and their expectations of the treatment. If you are willing to let your patients know about the study, we will send you our study recruitment materials to post in your waiting area or at your front desk so that your new patients with lower back pain can see this information and know how to find out more about the study. If you are interested, we will send you a little more information about our study, then set up a brief phone call or email with you to answer any questions you might have. Also we have included a link to the study FAQ sheet to answer any questions you might have at this point.
Please let Camilo Estrada know if you'd be willing to help us or if you would like more information.
Thank you!!
Karen J. Sherman, PhD, MPH
SENIOR SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATOR
GROUP HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Please contact:
Camilo Estrada
RESEARCH SPECIALIST
Group Health Research Institute
PHONE 206-287-2096
E-MAIL estrada.c@ghc.org
|
|
L&I announces new Centers of Occupational Health and Education
|
July 30, 2013
TUMWATER - The Department of Labor & Industries has finalized new agreements with health-care organizations to provide Centers of Occupational Health and Education (COHEs). COHEs are organizations that improve medical treatment for Washington's injured workers.
A 2011 study found that injured workers treated by COHE-affiliated health-care providers are away from work for 20 percent fewer days than other injured workers. COHE care also reduces disability and medical costs by $510 per claim during the first year.
|
|
state healthcare innovation planning
|
July 31, 2013 Thank you for your continuing participation in the State Health Care Innovation Feedback Network. We've posted a News Release recently distributed to the media on our website and a list of Frequently Asked Questions While these documents were drafted for an audience that is not yet familiar with the Innovation Planning process, the following provides a more complete update on our progress: PARTICIPATE IN OUR UPCOMING WEBINARS: Key elements of the outline will be addressed during our August 22 webinar. We recently updated the Innovation Planning website. In the future, documents related to Innovation Planning will be available on the newly created Resources & Documents page so that you can easily locate the updated drafts. Thank you, Karen Merrikin Project Director State Health Care Innovation Plan (SHCIP) Correspondence to: simquestions@hca.wa.gov 360-725-1447 |
|
|
|
|
Continuing to Implement the ACA in a Careful, Thoughtful Manner
By: Mark J. Mazur
7/2/2013
Over the past several months, the Administration has been engaging in a dialogue with businesses - many of which already provide health coverage for their workers - about the new employer and insurer reporting requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We have heard concerns about the complexity of the requirements and the need for more time to implement them effectively. We recognize that the vast majority of businesses that will need to do this reporting already provide health insurance to their workers, and we want to make sure it is easy for others to do so. We have listened to your feedback. And we are taking action.
The Administration is announcing that it will provide an additional year before the ACA mandatory employer and insurer reporting requirements begin. This is designed to meet two goals. First, it will allow us to consider ways to simplify the new reporting requirements consistent with the law. Second, it will provide time to adapt health coverage and reporting systems while employers are moving toward making health coverage affordable and accessible for their employees. Within the next week, we will publish formal guidance describing this transition. Just like the Administration's effort to turn the initial 21-page application for health insurance into a three-page application, we are working hard to adapt and to be flexible about reporting requirements as we implement the law.
Here is some additional detail. The ACA includes information reporting (under section 6055) by insurers, self-insuring employers, and other parties that provide health coverage. It also requires information reporting (under section 6056) by certain employers with respect to the health coverage offered to their full-time employees. We expect to publish proposed rules implementing these provisions this summer, after a dialogue with stakeholders - including those responsible employers that already provide their full-time work force with coverage far exceeding the minimum employer shared responsibility requirements - in an effort to minimize the reporting, consistent with effective implementation of the law.
Once these rules have been issued, the Administration will work with employers, insurers, and other reporting entities to strongly encourage them to voluntarily implement this information reporting in 2014, in preparation for the full application of the provisions in 2015. Real-world testing of reporting systems in 2014 will contribute to a smoother transition to full implementation in 2015.
We recognize that this transition relief will make it impractical to determine which employers owe shared responsibility payments (under section 4980H) for 2014. Accordingly, we are extending this transition relief to the employer shared responsibility payments. These payments will not apply for 2014. Any employer shared responsibility payments will not apply until 2015.
During this 2014 transition period, we strongly encourage employers to maintain or expand health coverage. Also, our actions today do not affect employees' access to the premium tax credits available under the ACA (nor any other provision of the ACA).
Mark J. Mazur is the Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
|
|
Here's the L& list of billing workshops for 2013. In a workshop you will learn the best practices for billing L&I. Your L&I representatives will answer your questions, demonstrate tools and show you how to use all the resources on the L&I website. Did you know that free CME credits are available now for billing workshops? You will receive your certificate at the end of the workshop. 2013 Workshop Schedule: "The Basics of Best Billing Practices"  Locations & Dates of remaining workshops (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.) Mt. Vernon L&I - August 14Mt. Vernon L&I - August 15Yakima L&I - September 17Kennewick L&I - September 18Kennewick L&I - September 19Tumwater L&I - September 27Tukwila L&I - October 1Tukwila L&I - October 10To register, email the following information to ProviderFeedback@Lni.wa.gov: 1. Full name (if you are registering more than 1 person, include their full names as well) 2. Email address (for each individual you are registering to attend) 3. Location 4. Date you want to attend You will receive a confirmation back. Upon request, L&I can fax or mail you a sign-up form. |
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
