Free Rehab e-Newsletters

Rehab Regs

This free, weekly e-zine will keep you current on the industry, from the latest news on CMS to what your colleagues are doing throughout the country. RehabRegs keeps your finger on the pulse of the rehab and therapy world.

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2001

Rehab Regs

Issue 50, December 16, 2004

• IDEA reauthorization becomes law

  As members of Congress reconvened to wrap up their post-election "lame-duck" session, President...

• Athletes can avoid stress fractures

  Some athletes may be able to avoid stress fractures in their feet if their doctors use magnetic...

• Study helps define the headaches of whiplash

  Whiplash injuries in low-speed accidents are much less likely if the victim’s head happens to...

Issue 49, December 9, 2004

• IRFs unhappy with new Medicare requirement

  Inpatient rehab facility (IRF) advocates accompanied the American Physical Therapy Association in a...

• Minimal hearing loss hinders academics

  An unidentified minimal hearing loss is a significant factor in the psychosocial and educational...

• Senate approves elder falls prevention act

  The U.S. Senate recently approved a bill (S. 1217) designed to prevent elder falls, according to PT...

Issue 48, December 2, 2004

• Californians lose $56M in workers’ comp

  Workers who submitted claims under California’s new workers’ compensation law were...

• ACL tears more likely in female soccer players

  Approximately 30,000 high school and college athletes tear their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL...

• Home treadmills a danger to children

  Treadmills may be a great way to bring rehab from the clinic to the home, but they can also be a...

Issue 47, November 18, 2004

• APTA files lawsuit against state board

  The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) filed a lawsuit early this month against the...

• Reprogramming therapy helps stroke survivors

  Despite a common recovery plateau within three months of a stroke, new research shows that some...

• Back pain is common, but ignored

  More than 80% of Americans suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, but many of them...

Issue 46, November 11, 2004

• Therapists win "incident to" victory

  Physical therapy services provided to Medicare beneficiaries in a physician’s office must be...

• Physical activity more important than weight

  Physical activity may be more of a factor in preventing decline in physical function in elderly...

• Stroke survivors gain lost motor skills

  Preliminary study results have shown that the use of electrical stimulation, called motor cortex...

Issue 45, November 4, 2004

• No referral recommendation from MedPAC

  The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recently chose not to advise Congress to change...

• New Mexico faces sanctions over disabled care

  The New Mexico Health Department is proposing to fine itself over problems in client care...

• Fast walking after stroke improves mobility

  Stroke survivors who walked fast in a rehabilitation program improved their overall walking ability...

Issue 43, October 21, 2004

• OIG focuses on inpatient payments

  Inpatient rehab facilities can expect some extra attention from the feds in 2005, according to the...

• IRF stays are getting shorter

  Average lengths of stay (LOS) for inpatient rehabilitation are getting shorter, according to a...

• Osteoporosis-related fractures a growing risk

  U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona reports that by 2020, half of all Americans over age 50...

Issue 42, October 14, 2004

• CMS clarifies 722, 724 billing

  CMS has clarified two important diagnosis codes after the removal of the ’adult only&rsquo...

• CORF requirements receive more specification

  Transmittal 21, which CMS released on September 24, adds additional clarity to the existing general...

• Superman’s Christopher Reeve passes away

  Christopher Reeve, 52, former Superman star and advocate for spinal cord research, died last...

Issue 41, October 7, 2004

• Study lacks faith in physiotherapy

  Physiotherapy may relieve back pain no more than simply staying active, according to the British...

• Therapists find a niche treating kid athletes

  The Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes is the first pediatric clinic for sports injuries in...

• Armchair quarterbacks targeted by APTA

  In celebration of National Physical Therapy Month in October, the American Physical Therapy...

Issue 40, September 30, 2004

• IDEA efforts renewed by Congress

  Responding to pressure from rehab groups across the country, Congressional leaders have renewed...

• Rake up back problems this fall

  Back problems can occur year-round, but leaf raking and other fall clean up projects are common...

• Children’s weight training not so bad

  The belief that weight training for children leads to stunted growth and other injuries may be...

Issue 39, September 23, 2004

• Medicare payments to CORFs highest in FL

  Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (CORFs) in Florida were the most expensive...

• Female athletes spell injury "A-C-L"

  Due to various anatomical differences, women are more likely to suffer tears of their anterior...

• Hands-on therapy left to parents

  Florida leaders have dramatically altered a program for very young developmentally disabled...

Issue 38, September 16, 2004

• Longer rehab may help elderly hip fractures

  Extending supervised outpatient rehabilitation by six months helps elderly patients more fully...

• Study finds gender and back pain disparities

  A new survey of physicians who regularly treat back pain reveals significant differences between...

• September 22 is National Backpack Awareness Day

  On Wednesday, September 22, the American Occupational Therapy Association is sponsoring National...

Issue 37, September 9, 2004

• First conviction for HIPAA rules violation

  Richard W. Gibson, 42, of Washington, pleaded guilty in August to wrongful disclosure of...

• Massage table uses sound and vibration

  A vibrating table may be an alternative approach to mainstream massage therapy, according to The...

• Carl and Clarence ready for rehab

  Carl and Clarence, two-year-old Filipino conjoined twins who were separated successfully in August...

Issue 36, September 2, 2004

• Medicaid fraud not on government radar

  CMS is supporting states’ Medicaid program integrity efforts through a variety of...

• Shortage of rehab professionals a looming crisis

  The number of students in fields like occupational therapy, physical therapy, respiratory therapy...

• Inactivity can trigger back pain

  Exercise and heavy lifting can cause back pain, but researchers now say that inactivity can also...

Issue 35, August 26, 2004

• PA workers’ comp claim costs increase

  The average medical payment for workers’ comp claims in Pennsylvania rose nearly 14...

• OTAs and kayaks offer greater access to parks

  Four residents of the Southern Worcester County Rehab Center and their three OT assistants spent a...

• Therapist lands a spot on Olympic massage team

  After graduating with a degree in physical therapy, Stan Grod probably wouldn’t have...

Issue 34, August 19, 2004

• Clinic owner sentenced for fraud

  The owner of two physical rehabilitation clinics was sentenced to more than three years in prison...

• Middle-aged men are a new fitness focus

  Fitness programs geared toward men 40 years and older are sprouting up across the country...

• Initiative in place for "stroke belt" states

  Seven states will receive approximately $2 million in grant awards this year to support a new...

Issue 33, August 12, 2004

• More joint replacements as baby boomers age

  Physical therapy may be needed more and more as baby boomers become candidates for joint...

• Horseback riding benefits disabled children

  Therapeutic horseback riding, also known as hippotherapy, is what happens when PTs, OTs, and...

• Cancer can’t stop 91-year-old water skier

  Lucille Borgen, of Palm Beach, Florida has survived polio, cancer, and the loss of vision in one...

Issue 32, August 5, 2004

• Proposed rule targets ’incident to’

  CMS released this week a proposed rule that would only allow qualified and trained physical...

• Physical therapy may increase natural pregnancy

  Two studies published last month in Medscape General Medicine, OB/Gyn & Women’s Health found...

• New surgery helps shoulder the burden

  A new, minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery procedure for torn rotator cuffs helps lessen pain...

Issue 31, July 29, 2004

• OIG gives a nudge to slow payers

  The Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report late last month outlining prompt-pay...

• Brain reprogramming may help stroke survivors

  Researchers have found that bilateral arm training with rhythmic auditory cueing (BATRAC) can...

• Vertigo managed by home exercises

  German researchers have identified specific home exercises that can help lessen the occurrence of...

Issue 30, July 22, 2004

• Inpatient rehab access threatened under rule

  Patients in need of important inpatient medical rehabilitation services will find access to this...

• Medicare anti-obesity interventions revised

  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a new Medicare coverage policy...

• Line dancing hip for brittle bones

  A twelve-month study at Griffith University in Australia, finds that weight-bearing exercises like...

Issue 29, July 15, 2004

• Laptops a pain in the neck

  Classroom computer use may be putting children at risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs...

• Physical therapists sue over geographic limits

  California physical therapists have filed a lawsuit to challenge an arrangement between Blue Cross...

• European deficiencies in healthcare exposed

  A new European survey released earlier this month has exposed healthcare deficiencies for patients...

Issue 28, July 8, 2004

• SNF therapy billing crackdown

  If you're a therapist working with skilled nursing facility (SNF) patients, watch out.

• Occupational therapy occupation booming

  Occupational therapy programs across the state are experiencing job placement rates as high as 100...

• Intense rehab may benefit elderly

  An Australian study found that intense rehabilitation programs speed recovery in elderly patients...

Issue 27, July 1, 2004

• House passes stroke legislation

  Earlier this month, the House passed legislation endorsed by the American Physical Therapy...

• Virtual reality may bring real relief

  Virtual reality isn’t just for video games anymore. Researchers at Ohio University have...

• Yoga minimizes fatigue for some MS patients

  Yoga has long been considered a way to improve the feeling of physical wellbeing.

Issue 26, June 24, 2004

• CMS proposes a home health hike

  Earlier this month, CMS announced a 2.5% increase in Medicare payment rates to home health agencies...

• Lawmakers try to expand Medicaid eligibility

  The Family Opportunity Act--an amendment to Title XIX of the Social Security Act recently passed in...

• Another HIPAA deadline looms

  Beginning July 6, CMS will implement changes to a contingency plan issued in February that will...

Issue 25, June 17, 2004

• Clerical workers experience long-term discomfort

  It comes as no surprise that therapists are seeing a high proportion of neck and shoulder injuries...

• Some parents jump to speech conclusions

  The availability of free or low-cost speech therapy for preschoolers may prompt some parents to...

• Rural rehab patients benefit from home visits

  Doctors who make house calls may be few and far between, but in rural areas of the United States...

Issue 24, June 10, 2004

• Some PTs need written contracts with SNFs

  Physical therapists who provide services to Medicare beneficiaries in skilled nursing facilities...

• Young stroke survivors receive targeted rehab

  While strokes are usually associated with the elderly, approximately one-third occur in people...

• Dogs assist therapists with children’s rehab

  A 65-pound standard poodle named Deacon is a regular visitor at Arkansas Children’s Hospital...

Issue 23, June 3, 2004

• Third World benefits from affordable prosthesis

  An indigenously-developed temporary prosthesis designed to help residents of Third World countries...

• Rhode Island health department sued over reimbursement

  A temporary Superior Court order has found that the Rhode Island Health Department can't deny...

• Diabetics find relief in light therapy

  Many physical therapists are using near-infrared light technology to treat diabetic patients...

Issue 22, May 27, 2004

• Robots help paralysis victims walk again

  A robot named Lokomat is helping paralysis patients at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical...

• Senate passes IDEA bill, future still uncertain

  Earlier this month, the Senate passed its version of legislation to reauthorize federal programs...

• Gardening good therapy for arthritis

  If you’ve got a green thumb, but also suffer from arthritis pain, there’s no need to...

Issue 21, May 20, 2004

• HealthSouth has named Scrushy replacement

  In the midst of the looming trial of former HealthSouth Corp. CEO Richard Scrushy for his alleged...

• Fitness replaces bingo for these seniors

  Bingo might be a common pastime at senior centers across the country, but for some, bench presses...

• Physical therapist to celebrities passes

  Charles "Sol" Rosenkrantz, a physical therapist who treated celebrities at Miami Beach hotels for...

Issue 20, May 12, 2004

• Ankle trouble puts exercisers on the sidelines

  Those who love summer sports should beware of one of the most common injuries in America--the...

• From face-lifts to voice lifts

  In an effort to not only look younger, but sound younger, too, patients are visiting a Pittsburgh...

• Martial arts fight the effects of aging

  Martial arts aren’t only for self-defense. According to experts, they can also help people...

Issue 19, May 6, 2004

• CMS releases long-awaited 75% rule for IRFs

  CMS released a final rule in April, revising the criteria for hospitals to be eligible for Medicare...

• Wal-mart adds therapy to its list of offerings

  Nine Wal-mart stores across Colorado are now home to America’s Back, back-pain clinics owned...

• Violin-playing aid helps music meet medicine

  Finger Finesse, a hand position strengthener designed to improve violin playing for musicians, has...

Issue 18, April 29, 2004

• Arnold pumps up PT coverage for workers’ comp

  The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is giving itself a pat on the back for successful...

• Elderly fall rate cut with Anodyne therapy

  Anodyne Therapy, LLC, has announced the publication of a fourth peer-reviewed clinical study...

• Home modifications continue to be an OT focus

  As the percentage of elderly Americans continue to rise, the need for home modification is becoming...

Issue 17, April 22, 2004

• Injury prevention 101: Stretch and strengthen

  For athletes, an aggressive preseason stretching, strengthening, and conditioning program can mean...

• Drive Smart program helps elderly and others

  Sometimes, older drivers don’t realize their driving skills have deteriorated.

• Don’t sow the seeds of carpal tunnel syndrome

  Anyone planning on exercising that green thumb this spring should beware of hand and wrist...

Issue 16, April 15, 2004

• Physically fit employees are top performers

  Employee physical fitness and activity levels significantly affect the quality and quantity of the...

• Schools, OTs, need to make a rehab connection

  Many school districts are having difficulty finding and keeping occupational therapy staff...

• PTs promote Congressional IDEA support

  When Congress reconvenes next week, it is expected to take up legislation to reauthorize federal...

Issue 15, April 8, 2004

• Pushing paper may mean pushing away patients

  A recent survey of occupational therapists (OTs) found that preparing reports consumes much of...

• Chronic neck pain alleviated with exercise

  A yearlong Finnish study found exercises using a technique that avoids head movement effectively...

• April is occupational therapy month

  Every April, 40,000 OTs, OT assistants, educators and students who make up the American...

Issue 14, April 1, 2004

• Physical therapy gets a Botox injection

  Botox may be best known as a way to erase the furrow from your brow, but a new study shows...

• Manual therapy a hands-on approach to healing

  An increasing number of American physical therapists have acquired advanced training for...

• Want to avoid injury? Don’t count on stretching

  Stretching before exercise might not be the injury preventer many people thought, according to the...

Issue 13, March 26, 2004

• Stroke therapy benefits linger for patients

  Stroke patients who get stimulation therapy on their paralyzed arm shortly after their brain attack...

• Sam's Club joins the health insurance business

  Sam's Club, a division of Bentonville, AR-based Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., will offer group health...

• Physiotherapy Associates sink a hole-in-one

  The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) has signed Physiotherapy Associates as its official...

Issue 12, March 18, 2004

• Virtual play leads to real improvements

  Virtual reality games not only bolster self-esteem, but also enable children with physical...

• Rehab on the chopping block in Maine

  Proposed cuts to MaineCare, Maine’s Medicaid program, are designed to carve almost $62...

• Massage therapists knead their way to respect

  Legitimate, professional massage therapists are hoping a bill passed by the Georgia state Senate...

Issue 11, March 11, 2004

• Rehab patients say "charge it"

  Beginning this summer, UnitedHealth Group plans to issue patient identification cards that look a...

• VitalStim makes rehab easier to swallow

  More therapists are turning to a new therapy to treat dysphagia, which uses electrodes placed on...

• Children hit a therapy grand slam

  As spring approaches, mentally and physically challenged children in Powdersville, South Carolina...

Issue 10, March 5, 2004

• PTs ousted from the dugout

  Major League Baseball (MLB) plans on enforcing its two-year-old rule prohibiting physical...

• Repetitive strain injury hits beyond the keyboard

  Computer users aren't the only ones hit hard by repetitive strain injury (RSI), according to the...

• Pennsylvania bill brings awareness to RSD

  Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell signed legislation last month calling for the state Health...

Issue 9, February 27, 2004

• AK speech therapy patients may have to do without

  Proposed cuts in Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services budget could mean that...

• Music therapy goes mainstream

  Music therapy is being incorporated into lessons for severely disabled students with positive...

• Experimental PT treatment proving successful

  Children with cerebral palsy who are severely impaired showed significant improvement in their...

Issue 8, February 20, 2004

• Water exercises ideal for avoiding injuries

  Novice runners or marathoners who want to prevent shin splints, stress fractures, sprained ankles...

• Patient investment in rehab essential

  Following surgery, ACL patients are encouraged to rehab aggressively to recover successfully...

• Home-based therapy aces for stroke patients

  Receiving therapy at home could slow the rate of deterioration in the ability of stroke patients to...

• Op-ed pages can provide effective and inexpensive marketing

  A positive mention in the opinion-editorial pages of a newspaper is one of the most impressive...

Issue 7, February 13, 2004

• Ohio passes direct access legislation

  Patients in Ohio who need physical therapy services will now experience easier availability due to...

• Seniors can quell fear of falling

  Acknowledging the potential for a fall is a first step to reducing household injuries, according to...

• Heavy drinkers choose narcotics despite dangers

  Despite warnings about interactions between alcohol and narcotic pain relievers, a new study by the...

Issue 6, February 6, 2004

• ASHA welcomes new association president

  Beginning this year, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in Rockville, MD, has...

• New hand SIS proposed

  A new hand therapy special interest section (SIS) has been proposed for members of the American...

• PT will be a long-term trend in long-term care

  Physical therapy is expected to generate new jobs for the next 40 years, says workplace expert John...

Issue 5, January 30, 2004

• Cosmonaut suit helps children with CP

  The TheraSuit, originally designed to help Russian cosmonauts return from zero gravity--by...

• Foot relief available to diabetics

  Anodyne(r) Therapy, LLC has announced the results of a study demonstrating restoration of sensation...

• Need help reeling them in?

  If your outpatient rehab facility is understaffed, not only may your current therapists be burdened...

• Rehab patients play a happy tune

  A 10-week pulmonary rehabilitation program at an Illinois hospital has added harmonica instruction...

Issue 4, January 23, 2004

• Canadians rubbed the wrong way by fraud

  In December, the Insurance Bureau of Canada released its list of last year's top ten insurance...

• Entrepreneur adds new tool to rehab regimen

  The flexibility ball trend is experiencing a rebirth in the form of the BOSU Balance Trainer.

• Back pain is a pain in the neck

  Duke University researchers have found that patients suffering from back pain consume more than $90...

Issue 3, January 16, 2004

• Standards feedback wanted from OTs

  The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE(r)) has begun the review and...

• Women-only gym fad gets Americans active

  The popularity of gyms that offer 30-minute circuit training for women such as Curves International...

• Entertainer’s recovery slow but steady

  Eight months after a near fatal stroke, rhythm and blues singer Luther Vandross is living in a New...

Issue 2, January 9, 2004

• Goal-oriented treatment plans for employees include OT, PT

  Common pain conditions are a leading cause of lost employee productivity and disability, according...

• HealthSouth trial postponed until August

  U.S. Judge Karon Bowdre has postponed the corporate fraud trial of HealthSouth Corp. founder...

• Football player punts his way to recovery

  After part of his leg was amputated, San Jose State University football player Neil Parry plans to...

Issue 1, April 8, 2004

• OTs: How preventive therapy can beef up reimbursement

  OTs: How preventive therapy can beef up reimbursement

• Hiring a therapist for your practice? Keys lie in your interview process

  As a director of an outpatient rehabilitation clinic, you try hard not to have favorites among your...

• Here's why your therapy facility might need a risk manager

  When most of us think of managing risk at our facilities, we envision installing treads to prevent...

• When starting your own practice, be savvy about successful business structure ba

  If you are a therapist starting your own practice, you're probably excited about all the...

• Don't get mad, get heard

  Round up a group of therapists and in no time they'll be discussing Medicare improvements, the...

• How to safeguard your facility: Use OIG's excluded-provider list

  If you've heard of the Office of Inspector General's (OIG) excluded provider list, you know it's a...

• Easy tips to reduce your cancellations and no-show rates, increase productivity

  If your facility has been experiencing a decrease in productivity due to patients who don't keep...

• Tame the compliance program beast

  Since no law requires providers to have compliance programs, creating one often takes a back seat...

• Are you on the prowl for helpful outpatient rehab resources?

  Have you ever wished that all the manuals, forms, and regulations you need to do your job...

• Staff training goes a long way

  In addition to adequate compensation and job satisfaction, sufficient training ensures that...

• Turn around your turnover rate

  Therapist X has worked at your facility for five years. She is an expert in documentation, her...

• Productivity doesn't have to be a dirty word

  Your supervisor wants maximum staff productivity to meet the bottom line. Your patients don't want...

• Know the rules for using part-time therapists

  Therapist X works three days a week for a local rehab agency. It pays her an hourly wage without...

• When starting your own practice, be savvy about successful business structure

  If you are a therapist starting your own practice, you're probably excited about all the...

• Get your motor running

  As patients age, their families or physicians may want to reevaluate their driving skills to ensure...

• Don’t let insurance authorizations jeopardize your reimbursement

  A solid game plan for avoiding insurance authorization mistakes begins at the registration desk...

• Get the lowdown on LCDs

  If you wonder whether certain local and national Medicare policies apply to the services you...