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Coalition for Patients' Rights Reaches Out to President
The APA Practice Organization, along with fellow members of the Coalition for Patients' Rights, recently wrote to President Obama urging him to support the utilization of non-physician health care providers — such as psychologists — as the Administration works to reform the nation's health care system.
Read the letter.
Breaking News: APA Practice Organization Becomes Involved in Class Action Litigation
The New Jersey Psychological Association (NJPA) is poised to become a named plaintiff in nationwide class action litigation against Aetna. The APA Practice Organization is working closely with outside counsel and NJPA to provide extensive support for this legal action.
Learn about this developing lawsuit.
Practice Leader Presses for Payment Reform in Health Care Debate
The debate over health care reform is in full swing on Capitol Hill. APA Executive Director for Professional Practice Katherine C. Nordal, PhD, recently advocated for payment reform in response to policy options identified by the Senate Finance Committee.
Read the letter to Senate leaders.
FTC Delays Red Flags Rule Enforcement Until August 1
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that it will delay enforcement of the Red Flags Rule for three months until August 1, 2009 in order to give creditors and practitioners additional time to develop written identity theft programs.
Learn more about how the Rule may affect your practice.
Find guidance from the APA Practice Organization on complying with the Red Flag Rules.
Congress Combines Medicare and Health Care Reform
The APA Practice Organization is cultivating opportunities to take advocacy messages on behalf of professional psychology to Congress as it prepares to combine Medicare and health care reform into a single legislative package.
Learn the latest developments from Capitol Hill and how Practice is working for you.
Managing Anxiety About the Flu Outbreak
The constant news reports in the last few weeks about the H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak have fueled a spike in anxiety among the public. Psychologists can help clients and others parse out fact from fiction and be prepared to address questions and concerns.
Review these tips from the APA Help Center.
Psychology Gains Strong Protections in Health Information Technology Act
Professional psychology achieved strong patient records privacy and security protections when the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act became law as part of the economic stimulus package.
See HITECH Act provisions that will ensure records privacy and security as HIT develops.
Keynote Address - 2009 State Leadership Conference
APA Executive Director for Professional Practice Katherine C. Nordal, PhD, delivered the keynote address at the 2009 State Leadership Conference on March 1.
Read Dr. Nordal's address here.
2009 Medicare Fee Schedule: Highlights for Psychologists
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the final rule containing the 2009 Medicare Fee Schedule. See average fees for selected psychotherapy services and other changes for Medicare in the new year.
Learn what's in store for psychologists who participate in Medicare.
How to Deal with a Subpoena
Receiving a subpoena, a legal command to testify or turn over records, is often a perplexing and anxiety-provoking experience for psychologists. This article addresses common questions from psychologists about how to handle a subpoena.
Learn pointers for dealing with a subpoena.
Resources and Information About the Health and Behavior Codes
The APA Practice Organization is pleased to provide practical resources and information to help practicing psychologists use and bill appropriately for the health and behavior assessment and intervention codes. These codes apply to psychological services that address behavioral, social, and psychophysiological conditions in the treatment or management of patients diagnosed with physical health problems.
Managed Care Reimbursement Toolkit
This Managed Care Reimbursement Toolkit from the APA Practice Organization contains information and resources to help you respond to managed care rate cuts, diversify your sources of professional income and manage practice finances.
Click here to view the Toolkit contents
Landmark Victory: Mental Health Parity is Now Law
President Bush signed mental health parity into law on October 3rd, taking a great step forward in the decade-plus fight to end insurance discrimination against those seeking treatment for mental health and substance use disorders. This historic legislation requires that health insurance equally cover both mental and physical health.
Read the summary of the Wellstone-Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 here.
Learn more about this historic legislation.
Read the APA's press release.
Pointers for Psychologists on Record Retention
Do you know what your state law requires regarding client record retention? Are you aware of APA's Record Keeping Guidelines?
These and other considerations can help guide your decision making about how long to keep records.
Payment Processing for Your Practice
The APA Practice Organization and ELAVON have partnered to bring you an electronic processing program specifically designed to fit the needs of your practice no matter what the size.
This service enables you to process all types of cards: credit, debit, purchasing, and commercial. ELAVON’s Electronic Check Service converts paper checks into safe, efficient electronic transactions. By submitting checks through the same system that you use to authorize credit cards and debit cards, ELAVON can help you lower costs and enrich your cash flow.
Click here to learn more about ELAVON Payment Processing.
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