Healthcare Committee Minutes
Health Care Services Committee
March 23, 2012
Called to Order: 5 PM
Adjourned: 5:40 PM
Participants: Beverly Jaynes (Chair), Karen Al Saadi, Lisa Bardach, Ann Comstock, Sue Tranquilla, Carolyn Doty (CoChair), Patricia Milgrom, Tim Weise, Erica Barker-Erle, Katie Strong.
AGENDA:
1. Meeting dates reminder:
Thursday 6PM May 3rd
At home of Fran Eldis (unless an emergency arises)
8855 Riverdale
Redford MI
Phone: 313-537-6262
IN THE NEWS: ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Welcome Erica Barker-Erlewein to the committee. Thank you for creating the fliers for the fall workshop. Welcome Pat Milgrom: we look forward to the expertise you can add in billing and reimbursement.
2. Tim Weise reports licensure information is being provided in the Exhibitor’s hall and that SLP’s can check on line to identify if their licensing process has been completed.
COMMITTEE AREAS OF INTEREST
Conference/Continuing Ed subcommittee:
• Planning for fall conference will need to be increased at next meetings.
• Speaker suggestions for 2013 MSHA conference reviewed: Lynn Turkstra should be re-invited. Topics of telepractice and reimbursement identified as timely. An ASHA rep could be invited, as it will be 3 years (at the next conference) since we had a speaker on Medicare or billing. Tim confirmed that starting in 2014, the SLP license requires 1 hr of training on “Pain” documentation per license cycle and it would be wise to have the state send a presenter each conference.
Reimbursement
• Ann Comstock created a survey form to distribute at the Medical Forum regarding reimbursement with pediatric.
• No other business in this area discussed.
Supervision:
Katie Strong to joined us to explore how we may begin to explore supervision concerns as they relate to graduate student internships. Bev will follow up with a letter to Katie to officially inaugurate the discussion.
Clinical/Professional Practices
• The next revisions of the CSA will be available for discussion at the next meeting.
Health Care Services Committee
February 1, 2012
Called to Order: 6:15 PM
Adjourned: 8:15 PM
Participants: Beverly Jaynes (Chair), Karen Al Saadi, Lisa Bardach, Margaret Tiner, Sue Tranquilla, Carolyn Doty (Co-Chair), Ann Comstock, via phone
AGENDA:
1. Meeting dates reminder:
Our next meeting dates are:
Friday March 23 2012, 5:00 PM at MSHA Conference
Thursday 6PM May 3rd, directions to follow
IN THE NEWS: ANNOUNCMENTS
2. State Board Update: the first licenses are being processed. Currently the board is discussing CEU requirements.
3. BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHEILD
a. BILLING APPLICATIONS: It has been identified that you will also need to obtain a Medicare Provider number as part of your qualifications.
b. MSHA was approached by member Katie Strong, to provide information to a BC/BS policy specialist, with specific regard to AAC devices and services. This was passed onto this committee. Thank you to Ann Ratliff,
Lisa Bardach, Pat Nizio and Karen Kurcz for responding to the request they provide Katy with the resources she needed to respond.
4. ASHA BLAST REGARDING AUTO NO FAULT LEGISLATION: Bev thanked Lisa for assisting her in composing the content to be included in the ASHA blast. The VP for Advocacy was advised by MSHA’s lobbyist to hold the blast until further notice, as the bill is not up for a vote at this time.
COMMITTEE AREAS OF INTEREST
. Conference/Continuing Ed subcommittee:
• Carolyn Doty asked committee members sign up to moderate sessions. The conference schedule looks good.
• Lisa Bardach reported she has just confirmed that Pat Nizio will co-present at our fall event. After some discussion, a title of “You Don’t Have to Know Everything to Do Something” was adopted for the talk on APPS and Assistive technology. Lisa identified that Pat will primarily focus on pediatric uses of APPs and she would take on the adult segment.
• Carolyn will send up the information to MSHA for inclusion in the et cetera, conference program and our website. We identified having flyers at conference program as another possible marketing strategy. An e-mail blast, which Julie Eaman identified as her successful method for reaching a target audience will be planned for later.
• The committee helped Lisa identify her topic title for the medical forum. We are all “Going Mobile”
Reimbursement
• Tim Weise was not available for STAR and SMAC updates. Minutes will be forwarded as Bev receives them.
• There was discussion on how we might take the next step in evolving this into a “subcommittee.” Bev, Tim and Carolyn will need to have roles, but specific reimbursement tracking by specialty area or type of facility might be more useful. Ann Comstock agreed to be responsible for updating us on pediatric issues. Bev reported that Tim should be able to help us with Medicare concerns as that is nationally driven. Bev will ask Julie to help track Adult issues. Margaret reported she would be able to deal with adding information on voice/laryngectomee trends. As a side, Margaret reported she is having increased problems with Aetna Insurance covering treatment.
• Supervision: Identifying specific individuals who could share concerns and help us identify needs will continue and be posed at Med Forum. One of the issues discussed is how time consuming it is for intern supervisors to deal with the multiple evaluation forms coming from the universities. Bev volunteered to invite Liz Stevens and Katie Strong to briefly join us at the MSHA conference for some input.
Clinical/Professional Practices
• Karen Al Saadi and Sue Tranquilla provided their first draft for CSA award changes. (Thank you!) As this represents a major revision, Bev suggested that the CSA be put on hiatus until a more public ready format is available for outside comment. As the original award took about 2 years of development, one year is probably realistic. Some changes were proposed. Karen will provide and updated draft which Bev will send on in the next few weeks. Bev will try to provide a narrative on each document.
Health Care Services Committee
Dec 3, 2011
Called to Order: 10:45 PM
Adjourned: 12:30 PM
Participants: Beverly Jaynes, Karen Al Saadi, Lisa Bardach, Maria McElmeel, Sue Tranquilla, Carolyn Doty
AGENDA:
1. Meeting dates reminder:
Our next meeting dates are:
NOTE THIS WAS CHANGED TO 2-1-2012: site to be determined
March 2012, 5:00 PM at MSHA Conference
2. State Board Update: Applications are starting to be accepted. No feedback on the process yet.
3. Conference/Continuing Ed subcommittee:
• Carolyn reports no recent changes in the conference schedule.
• APPS and Assistive technology is our potential topic for the inaugural fall conference: no other speakers have yet been identified to supplement Lisa Bardach. Maria reported her contact was not interested at this time. If we are to advertise at MSHA, we need to have more specific information available by mid- March. Just a reminder, Julie Eaman shared that advertising in the conference program, our website and by e-mail blast has been the most successful method for reaching our target audience.
• Carolyn confirmed we have reserved the Beaumont Hospital Auditorium for Thursday November the 1st: it was not available for any Thurs in Oct. It was agreed that Clinicians at the host facility could attend for ½ the fee price. $55 for non-members, $45.00 for members and $25.00 for students was proposed.
4. Other Committee Areas of Interest:
Reimbursement: We continue to be provided information by the State and our ASHA Liaison Tim Weise and have posted news as it becomes available. Bev will continue to forward STAR and SMAC minutes as she receives them.
This committee was asked by EC to help draft the content for the ASHA Blast, asking members to contact their representatives
and voice their opposition to the Bills which change auto no fault. Both Lisa and Bev volunteered to do the initial draft.
Supervision: Identifying specific individuals who could share concerns and help us identify needs will continue and be posed at Med Forum. Carolyn shared that despite being the SLP responsible for student clinicians at Beaumont, she has never been approached to participate in meetings held between MSHA and the University Departments. How can we improve this area of interaction for both students and supervisors?
Clinical/Professional Practices: Karen Al Saadi and Sue Tranquilla were appointed to begin considering how we might update the CSA award and put the focus on an individual vs the department focus that has evolved. They will report back the next meeting with their first thoughts. By the conference meeting, Bev will send out preliminary e-mails to a few University and
Medical SLP’s for their thoughts.
Health Care Services Committee
October 27, 2011
Called to Order: 6:10 PM
Adjourned: 8:00 PM
Participants: Beverly Jaynes, Karen Al Saadi, Lisa Bardach, Maria McElmeel, Julie Eaman, Carolyn Doty, Randy Sax
AGENDA:
1. Meeting dates reminder:
Our next meeting dates are:
December 3, 10:30AM: At home of Karen Al Saadi, Ann Arbor
January 19, 2012 6;00 PM at ALS offices, Lisa Bardach hostess
March 2012, 5:00 PM at MSHA Conference
2. State Board Update:
Initial links to the State Board are on the MSHA website. To help others through the process, EC member Julie Pratt has volunteered to go through the entire process with another SLP and take notes which will be shared via the website. She also intends to provide similar information for the BC-BS application process. A reminder, BC-BS will need your National Provider Number and may require a letter of confirmation that you are currently certified from ASHA. We do not yet know if just a copy of your certificate and current card will be enough.
3. Conference subcommittee:
• Carolyn reports conference schedule looks good and has concerns that it may be difficult to schedule some speakers given the strong invited speaker programming.
• As we have not received leads on the topic of teletherapy as our Medical Forum Topic, it was suggested that technology be the focus. Lisa Bardach offered to present and discuss the use of apps for assistive technology. Her offer was accepted by the committee.
• Further discussion suggested that assistive technology may be an appropriate topic for our inaugural fall conference. Lisa offered to participate. Identifying other speakers who could present such as how apps were used with a specific population such as Austism was agreed upon as a potential approach. Lisa Bardach, Carolyn Doty, and Julie Eaman will try to identify other SLP’s who could be approached to present.
IF ANY COMMITTEE MEMBER WHO WAS NOT AT THIS MEETING HAS A SUGGESTION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
• At this time the committee has decided October is our target month for the first Health Care Fall Conference. A Thursday 4-7:30 time frame agreed upon. Carolyn Doty will try to identify if the Beaumont Auditorium is available for 10-4, 10-11 or 10-25. The MSHA office would be available to help with mailings, registration, ASHA CEUs, and of course the honorarium dispersal. We may need to provide assistance designing the registration form and will need to help the office describe the conference intent and content.
• Julie Eaman shared that hard copy mailings have not typically been useful. Advertising in the MSHA conference program, the website, the et cetera and by e-mail blast seems to be a reasonable start.
• Bev would like to send out a personal invitation letter to former MSHM members and acknowledge them at the Medical Forum.
4. Committee goals
Carolyn reported that several SLP’s at her facility have expressed interest in joining this committee but want something specific to do. It was agreed that at the next 2 sessions we would spend some time “Brainstorming” how we could develop specific tasks and roles for each of the four areas of interest we initially identified: Reimbursement, Supervision, Clinical/Professional Practices and Conference/Cont. Education needs. Please Bev let know how these four areas could be assigned to our next 3 meetings. (Editor’s note: would any of these be appropriate for our MSHA conf meeting?)
5. Reimbursement
Medicaid has released Policy 1130 for review and public comment which changes how children are covered for outpatient therapy. At this point, the changes appear to be favorable and represent addressing some of the complaints hospital based SLP’s made in the past 10 years, but some of the wording is confusing. U of M has sent up a letter requesting clarification. Public comment ends 11-9-11. Please go to the Dept of Community Health site and review this document.
Health Care Services Committee
Sept 22, 2011
Called to Order: 6:00 PM
Adjourned: 7:30 PM
Participants: Beverly Jaynes, Sue Tranquilla, Karen Al Saadi, Tim Weise, Lisa Bardach.
By phone: Maria McElmeel, Julie Eaman, Carolyn Doty
AGENDA:
1. Meeting dates:
Thank you to all who participated in the phone conference call in July 28th.
Our next meeting dates are:
October 27, 6PM: At ALS offices in Southfield (Lisa to confirm.)
December 3, 10:30AM: At home of Karen Al Saadi, Ann Arbor
2. State Board Update:
Tim Weise reported the link to the State Board on the MSHA website is now up but not without problems. Applications for licensure will be on line within a few weeks, we hope. The application fee is $20. There will be a cost for fingerprinting: the first year’s cost will approach $157.00 with annual costs of $75.00. SLP’s will have 2 years to apply. At this time, the State Board Plans to have a booth in the Exhibit area to distribute information. Our rules should be ready in Oct/Nov for the legislature.
3. Reimbursement:
• The BC-BS meeting with Dr. Jerry Johnson was attended by Tim Weise and Rick Merson. BC-BS is satisfied with our licensure time line and SLP’s will be allowed to directly bill. SLP’s should be prepared to provide their National Provider number and submit verification of their ASHA CCC’s. A packet of information should be available after Jan 1. 2012.
• Members continue to be encouraged to express or identify how they have resolved recent reimbursement issues. Other states continue to look at issues with their intermediaries and are bringing up issues with STAR and SMAC. Carolyn Doty reported recent difficulties with Blue Care Network/Landmark placing a number of session limits on a brain injured client. She was encouraged to continue to appeal when the client returns for additional treatment.
• Beverly Jaynes reported the first Tri-Alliance meeting was successful and that MOTA, MPTA and MSHA presidents have agreed to share information on reimbursement and coverage concerns.
3. Conference subcommittee:
• Carolyn reports a replacement for Lynn Turkstra has been found to speak on brain injury: Angela Cicccia, Ph.D. A topic for the medical forum continues to be needed. Teleconferencing was suggested and Sandra Glista was identified as a potential resource for further pursing the topic.
• The concept of a fall conference this committee would chair was further explored. The MSHA office would be available to help with mailings, registration, ASHA CEUs, and of course the honorarium contract. The committee is requested to help identify potential conference, talks, meeting conflicts for fall 2012, so potential dates could be considered. A Thursday PM event was considered a possibility. Topics, speakers, and site must be considered. Please give this thought before the October meeting,
as this will be a large part of the discussion.
Health Care Services Committee
May 17, 2011
Called to Order: 6:00 PM
Adjourned: 7:30 PM
Participants: Beverly Jaynes, Sue Tranquilla, Carolyn Doty, Julie Eaman Karen Al Saadi, Tim Weise, Maria McElmeel, Margaret Tiner, Stacy Brown, Ann Comstock .
Guest speaker: Fran Eldis
AGENDA:
1. Meeting dates for the rest of 2011 were set as:
July 28th
Sept 22
October: phone conferencing date to be determined
December 3rd
2. State Board Update: Tim Weise reported the there should be a link to the State Board on the MSHA website to help members keep up with information.
3. Reimbursement: Tim continues to send STAR and SMAC minutes to the VP. Bev Jaynes indicated she began forwarding the info to other committee members for feedback. Regarding the latest BCBS issue: there is report of a rehab manager interpreting guidelines to mean that SLP is not included in the 3 hours of therapy a day rule. As new issues are identified, Bev will try to post to the website or send out news blasts. It was decided that the next meeting would focus on reimbursement concerns facilities were identifying.
3. The conference sub committee reported that they still need to input for Friday Speakers. They are still waiting for a response from Sandra Glista regarding potential speakers from the west side of the state.
4. INSERVICE BY FRAN ELDIS, Ph.D, CCC-A/SLP on the topic of Central Auditory Processing Disorders. Some references Fran suggested to start to research this topic:
• ASHA 1996: Position Statement- CAP/CAPD
• ASHA 2005: CAPD, technical report
• AAA Clinical Practice Guidelines 2010: Guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and management of children and adults with CAPD.
• Bellis, T.J. (2003). Assessment and Management of CAPD’s in the Educational Setting. From science to practice. 2nd Edition. (A Singular book.) N.Y.: Thompson Division of Delmar Learning.
• Chermack, G.D. & Musiek, F.E. (1997). Central auditory processing disorders: New Perspectives. San Diego: Singular Publishing Group, Inc.