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EVP Update
What ACA is Doing for You and Your Profession
I can’t
count the number of calls, letters, e-mails and conversations I’ve had with members and non- members alike that all
revolved around a single question: “What is ACA doing to address abuses by managed care organizations?” The fact
is, this has been our primary area of emphasis for many years, and we have had a number of successes.
However, because
many of these battles have been, or in the future could possibly be, fought in the court system, we have been precluded from
talking about them for fear of undermining our case. I know that frustrates you; the absence of information implies the absence
of activity and it frustrates us, since we’re dedicating a lot of time, effort and resources to projects that go unknown
and unrecognized by the profession.
Now, for the first time, we’re able to discuss some of what we’ve
been doing on the profession’s behalf. Laurie Douglass’ report follows mine—if you read nothing else in
this EVP Report, read what Laurie has written. Please note that her column has been edited by ACA legal counsel who
are a bunch of killjoys, even if they are just doing their jobs. So, this is not an exhaustive report, but it does give you
more of the flavor of what we’re trying to accomplish.
Please know that even when you’re not hearing updates
or progress reports from us, insurance advocacy is at the top of our priority list. We know how hard you work, and we refuse
to allow that work to go unrecognized or uncompensated by external forces whose priorities differ vastly from those of the
chiropractic profession. Thank you all for your support. You’re the reason we come to work every day.
Chiropractic Leaders Gather to Discuss Pressing Issues
Last
month, more than 75 leaders in chiropractic education, research and practice gathered at The National University of Health
Sciences to discuss the issues facing the future of the chiropractic profession. Led by John J. Triano, DC, PhD, participants—including
ACA Chairman Lewis Bazakos, DC; ACA Council of Delegates Vice Chair Keith Overland, DC; Past ACA Chairman George McClelland,
DC; former ACA Executive Vice President Gary Cuneo, and myself—heard recommendations from experts in the study of health
professions, health care futurists, medicine, and federal research programs. Among the issues discussed were the barriers
to, and opportunities for, increased integration and cooperation.
From these discussions, two distinct priority areas
emerged: integrity and trust, and equitable public support for education and research. At the conference’s conclusion,
the following resolution was approved by the participants:
Formal Resolution by the Chiropractic Strategic Planning
Conference:
"At the Chiropractic Strategic Planning Conference, leaders in chiropractic education, research, and practice
resolved that the ongoing fuller integration of chiropractic education and practice within the North American health care
system, and improved communication and collaboration between doctors of chiropractic and other health professionals, are in
the interests of patients and all parties concerned.
Following a review of the barriers to, and the opportunities
for, such greater integration and interprofessional cooperation, the conference identified and acknowledged two priority areas
that need to be addressed, namely:
a. Integrity and trust. The inappropriate treatment and billing practices adopted
by some members of the profession that place the economic interests of the chiropractor before the best interests of the patient
undermines public trust in all members of the profession.
b. Equitable public support for education and research. There
is an absence of fair and equitable public funding and other support for chiropractic education and research in either public
or private institutions. Specifically, there is a lack of support within the academic and interdisciplinary environments,
including participation with publicly funded universities and health care facilities.
The conference urges the chiropractic
profession, and its leaders and regulators, to address the first above matter, and the profession and all other stakeholders
to address the second above matter, to the ultimate end of improved quality care within the North American health care system."
While this conference was initially envisioned as a single event, attendees voted to schedule an additional meeting—anticipated
for the spring or summer of 2006—to continue this work and discuss essential issues concerning patient care.
Kevin Corcoran, Executive Vice President
KCorcoran@acatoday.org
Insurance Relations
The State of the Nation: Where We Are, and Where We Are Heading
As
chiropractic network practices worsen, a united voice has arisen to defend the right of patients’ access to benefits.
Eighteen states have reported having undertaken some form of investigation into the unfair and unsafe practices of
certain chiropractic networks. As with any major change, it always begins with individuals who persistently continue speaking
out until reform comes. The ACA applauds the work of state associations, licensing boards, and individual doctors who have
devoted many hours to this effort because they have decided that silence is no longer an option.
Over a year ago,
the ACA began collecting data regarding the effect of chiropractic networks’ policies and, as many know, has explored
every legal and administrative remedy including the possibility of a national class-action suit. The outpouring of personal
testimonies to assist this effort has been both overwhelming and heartbreaking. Not surprisingly, our investigation has strengthened
our view that the vast majority of doctors placed in probationary statuses and those terminated do not represent “outliers,”
but in fact have been unjustly judged by invalid statistical models and guidelines that are not accepted by the rest of the
profession. In our opinion, these policies created by networks that focus on profit at the expense of medically necessary
patient care are nothing less than unconscionable.
Our legal focus now centers on upcoming hearings before the U.S
District Court in Miami, Florida. The hearings, while procedural, will nevertheless involve important issues related to class
certification. Many lawsuits are involved in this important multi-district federal litigation.
The ACA has retained
a number of the leading class action law firms and attorneys on the front line of this nationwide managed care litigation.
Our intent is to ultimately be in a position to gain class status for doctors in a national action based on the information
we have collected in our ongoing investigation.
State chiropractic associations are also fueling this national effort
by exposing network practices to regulatory agencies armed with their unique arsenal of state laws. In Missouri, for example,
doctors of chiropractic have filed a class-action lawsuit against United Healthcare Corporation and American Chiropractic
Network. The lawsuit, filed on Jan. 4, 2006, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, states that
American Chiropractic Network (ACN) and United Healthcare Corporation (UHC) breached its contract with providers by failing
to pay claims in a timely manner, wrongfully and/or fraudulently failing to pay claims, paying claims at rates lower than
those stated in patients’ insurance plans, unilaterally changing the terms of their provider agreement “without
consideration,” and terminating those doctors who refused to provide less care to their patients than [the doctors]
deemed appropriate. The suit alleges that by doing the above, ACN/UHC was essentially “practicing chiropractic without
a license.” Our class action counsel believes this case will likely be transferred to the above-mentioned Miami Court.
The ACA encourages doctors and associations to familiarize themselves with this effort, which is fully consistent with the
effort of the ACA and its class action counsel. To read the full Missouri complaint, click here.
It is our hope that the cumulative effect of both these legal and administrative efforts will be a defining moment
in the profession’s step to taking back its ability to treat patients without the onerous and unjustified constraints
many chiropractic networks have imposed for far too long.
The ACA continues to aggressively seek information regarding
doctors’ and patients’ experiences in this regard, and you can help. Tell us your story by completing this online form, or print it from this link and fax it to (703) 516-4976.
Another initiative, which can be found on our Web site, the Patient Benefits Survey,
will be used to help regulatory agencies gain a clear picture of patients' ability to access their chiropractic benefits and
how they feel these benefits are managed. From now until April 30, you can have your patients fill out this form and these
can be faxed to (703) 243-2593. Please let the voices of your patients be heard!
Also on our Web site, you will find
a pre-service inquiry template letter for notifying employers under ERISA of the pervasive, unsubstantiated restrictions of
patient benefits. Raising awareness of employers that their employees are often unable to use the benefits provided for them
is another important step in exposing practices that jeopardize the patient’s right to full benefit access. You can
find links to both of these resources here.
We will continue to keep you updated with the progress being made. Look for articles in ACA News and member
e-mails. We will also pass along reports of the investigations being carried out in each state as we receive them.
Again,
we extend a heartfelt thank you to all who have helped us come this far. While we do not stand in your shoes—faced with
the devastation of having to turn patients away because of arbitrary care restrictions—we do not take our duty lightly.
We want you to be absolutely assured that we are advocating for you and your patients by dedicating staff and resources to
this effort above any other we have undertaken before. As always, thank you for your support and for helping us help you do
what you do best.
To: Doctors of Chiropractic in Medically Underserved Areas
Re:
2006 limitations under the Federal Employee Program
Dear Doctors,
The ACA has received numerous inquiries
from providers in Medically Underserved Areas (MUA) regarding benefit limits under the Standard Option of the Blue Cross/Blue
Shield Federal Employee Program Health Plan. Below please find an explanation of the federal statute which addresses the application
of benefit limits in MUAs.
In 2006, in MUAs there will be a 10-visit limit on spinal manipulations under the Standard
Option of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Federal Employee Program. The implementation of this limit in MUAs is based on federal
law. Additionally, all types of providers in MUAs must adhere to this federal regulation.
The federal statute, 42
U.S.C. 254e, indicates:
.....if a contract under this chapter provides for the provision of, the payment for, or the
reimbursement of the cost of health services for the care and treatment of any particular health condition, the carrier shall
provide, pay, or reimburse up to the limits of its contract for any such health service properly provided by any person
licensed under State law to provide such service if such service is provided to an individual covered by such contract in
a State where 25 percent or more of the population is located in primary medical care manpower shortage areas designated pursuant
to section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e).
In 2006, in MUAs, along with the 10-visit limit on spinal manipulations, there will also be coverage for initial
office visits and initial x-rays under the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Standard Option. Some may be confused as to how being in
an MUA differs from being in other states if the limitations regarding spinal manipulations are consistent. In an MUA, caps
on services remain, but practitioner-based limitations are waived. Therefore if doctors of chiropractic in an MUA are legally
able to perform a service under their state scope of practice, and that service is covered by FEP (i.e. a blood test), then
that service is required, by law, to be paid, if medically necessary.
If you have any questions pertaining to this
statute, please submit your questions via e-mail or fax them to kmurray@acatoday.org or (703) 243-2593, and reference FEP
MUA.
Laurie Douglass, Vice President of Insurance Relations
ldouglass@acatoday.org
Government Relations
Issue Briefs for NCLC 2006 Now Available
From March 25-28,
hundreds of doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic students will descend on the nation’s capital to lobby on behalf
of issues that are important to the chiropractic community.
ACA is pleased to announce that new 2006 Issue Briefs
are now available online. To review the issues that the ACA will be focused on this year, click here. Additionally, copies will be provided at NCLC for distribution to members of Congress.
This year, participants of
NCLC will lobby their members of Congress on issues including Association Health Plans, increasing the chiropractic benefit
to all active duty members in uniform, and commissioning doctors of chiropractic in the Public Health Service.
NCLC
is a great opportunity for attendees to learn directly about the federal issues that affect the profession. It allows participants
to renew old friendships and develop new bonds that will last for years to come. Most important, however, NCLC allows doctors
and students the opportunity to relay the concerns and goals of today’s chiropractic profession to the nation’s
key decision makers.
New! Contribute to ACA-PAC Online!
You can now contribute to
the ACA Political Action Committee online via our safe and secure server. Your contribution is immediate, which cuts down
on ACA-PAC’s overhead fundraising costs and allows more money to be given directly to candidates.
As you consider
how much to contribute, we encourage you to support the ACA-PAC at the Chairman’s Club level. Your investment as a Chairman’s
Club member will help build a strong foundation for the ACA to achieve the legislative goals of the chiropractic profession
and patients. In addition, as a Chairman’s Club member you will also be recognized at various ACA events and eligible
for special access to several ACA-PAC functions. Chairman's Club contribution levels are as follows:
* Bronze Level
$300 annually ($25 per month)
* Silver Level $600 annually ($50 per month)
* Gold Level $1,200 annually ($100 per month)
*
Platinum Level $2,000 annually ($167 per month)
* Premium Level $5,000 annually ($417 per month)
ACA-PAC is the
only major PAC committed to supporting pro-chiropractic candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
Help support pro-chiropractic legislation and contribute online today by clicking here.
John Falardeau, Vice President of Government Relations
jfalardeau@acatoday.org
Education & Professional
Development
New ACA Documentation Seminar Program Debuts in Nebraska
The
Nebraska Chiropractic Physicians Association (NCPA), in conjunction with SecureCare of Nebraska, is pleased to present a new
educational program from the American Chiropractic Association at the 2006 spring convention in Lincoln, Neb. The new seminar,
titled Clinical Documentation for the Chiropractic Practice: Strategies for Success, takes its curriculum from ACA's
Clinical Documentation Manual and covers a full range of topics. The two-hour CEU-approved program will be presented
by Rand Baird, DC, MPH, FICA, FICC. For more information, contact Jan Jewell or Stacie Williams of the NCPA at 402-435-4087
or ncpa@inebraska.com.
New ACA Educational Programs Offered at NCLC
Open to the public!
ACA will offer three exciting new educational programs at the upcoming National Chiropractic Legislative Conference (NCLC).
The first, on Saturday, March 25, will be presented by the ACA Councils on Physiological Therapeutics & Rehabilitation,
Orthopedics, and Sports Injury & Physical Fitness. This program, Focus on Prevention & Wellness, consists of
three separate two-hour segments and focuses on the assessment, evaluation and treatment of baby boomers, weekend warriors
and the elderly.
The second program, on Sunday, March 26, titled Coding & Documentation for the Chiropractic
Practice: Strategies for Success, will be presented by Susan McClelland, BS, CCA. This comprehensive new program enables
participants to understand and implement correct coding and clinical documentation procedures.
The third program,
titled Documentation is a Problem! Coding, Medicare, Documentation, and the OIG Report, on Monday, March 27, is also
presented by Susan McClelland. The program reviews the concerns raised in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Office of Inspector General (OIG) June 2005 report, which cited a high documentation error rate in the chiropractic profession.
The fee for each program is just $150 per day. CEU credits will also be offered through Texas Chiropractic College.
For more information or to register online, click here. Please note that programs are subject to change.
Opportunities in Occupational Health:
How to beat managed care
and put the "zip" back in your practice!
Join us for this informative teleseminar for a look at the many opportunities
present in occupational health. Dr. David A. Thorpe, DC, DACBOH, President of ACA Council on Occupational Health, will discuss
the many services chiropractors can provide in occupational health, the professional and financial benefits, and how to get
involved.
Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Time: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Includes 15-minute Q&A
session to ask your own questions.
Cost: $49 ACA members; $69 non-members (Includes free materials sent via e-mail)
Get
CEUs! All ACA teleseminar programs may be applied for 1 CEU credit in the following states depending on the course topic:
Colo., Del., Ill., Iowa, Maine, Md., Mont., Neb., Ohio, R.I., S.D., Va. (Type 1). To find out if your state approves teleseminars
for CEU credit, click here.
Register today! Download the registration form here, and fax it back to ACA at (703) 243-2593. Or call the ACA at 703-276- 8800, x249.
Janet Ridgely, Director of Administration and Meetings
jridgely@acatoday.org
Membership Services and Business Development
Want More of Your Dues Dollars to ACA Initiatives Rather Than Administrative
Costs?
Of course you do! When you pay your dues through EZ Pay—ACA's account debit program—you eliminate
your, and our, administrative costs that go into billing. The EZ Pay program is free and you can join or change to a different
payment option any time. Your dues can be deducted monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually from a checking account or
credit card. More than 2,000 doctors are already on the EZ Pay program. Please consider joining! To sign up today, call the
membership department at (703) 276-8800.
Membership, Membership, Membership
It's more important than
location! Speaking of location, how would you like to spend some time off on us? Participate in ACA's Member-Get-a-Member
campaign and you may find yourself on a dream getaway. The campaign is open to all ACA members; each General member you recruit
will earn you a chance to win your dream getaway. The more new members you recruit, the greater your chance of winning!
For
more information or recruitment materials click here.
Paula Diaz, Director of Membership Services
pdiaz@acatoday.org
EVP Update
I was going to open this edition of the EVP Report with an overview
of S.1955. But over the past three weeks, ACA members have been inundated with information about the bill. If you don’t
know what S.1955 means and what we believe it would do to the profession, you’re probably not reading anything that
we’re sending out, including the EVP Report.
Instead, I want to tell you what steps ACA has taken to
defeat S.1955 and to protect the inclusion of chiropractic benefits in health insurance plans.
Just prior to the bill’s
consideration in committee, ACA announced that the language had been significantly changed and was far more damaging to chiropractic
and other specialty providers than previously anticipated. Soon after the bill was approved in the Senate Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, ACA scheduled a teleconference with all state chiropractic associations to inform them
of the changes and to strategize our response. ACA also reconnected with other provider and consumer groups with which we
had worked on "Patients' Bill of Rights" and other legislative battles and helped create a coalition to coordinate efforts
among the various groups that would be affected by S.1955.
As a result of ACA's teleconference with the state association
leaders, we significantly reformatted our NCLC agenda to put an even stronger emphasis on S.1955. ACA held an extended briefing
session for the House of Delegates (HOD) and another for NCLC attendees, added a joint meeting with the Wisconsin Chiropractic
Association to address state issues, and convened a panel of representatives from other associations whose members would be
affected by S.1955's passage. During the NCLC meeting, the ACA HOD passed a resolution to approve up to $300,000 in immediate
unbudgeted expenditures to defeat S.1955.
ACA has been very active in communicating the potential impact of S.1955
to members and non- members alike.
- ACA created an S.1955 Action Center on its Web site, which has many resources to learn about the bill and ways to defeat it, including links to other anti- S.1955
groups and sites.
- ACA placed an informational insert in every copy of the April issue of ACA News, which reaches over 60,000 DCs.
- ACA also placed a full page ad alerting DCs to S.1955 in the edition of Dynamic Chiropractic that will be landing in mail boxes this week.
- ACA recently sent out a Blast Fax to nearly 20,000 DCs, imploring each to contact their senator immediately.
- Within two weeks, all 60,000 ACA News subscribers will receive a “S.1955 Survival Kit,” containing:
- An overview/analysis of the bill;
- Talking points that chiropractors can use with their senators and others;
- Action steps that DCs should take to defeat the bill;
- A poster to be displayed in chiropractic offices alerting patients to the threat S.1955 poses to their health insurance benefits (PDF);
- Sample letters to be sent by DCs and their patients;
- A phone and fax directory for every U.S. senator.
- ACA is running a full page ad about S.1955 on the back cover of the May issue of ACA News.
- ACA is implementing an extensive media relations campaign; preparing op-ed pieces and letters to the editor that can be
sent by ACA to national publications, and by our members to newspapers and radio/TV stations within their communities. These
will be e-mailed to members and posted on our Web site.
We’re also bringing our extensive grassroots network
to bear on this fight. We’ve called on our ACA delegates to contact DCs in their states to ensure that they are informed
and involved in the fight against S.1955. We’re hosting weekly strategy and informational teleconferences with state
chiropractic associations to share the latest intelligence and exchange ideas and suggestions for getting everyone involved.
We’ve set our SACA members loose on this issue; we sent informational materials to every SACA chapter and will
be joining their board teleconference on Tuesday to provide more information and guidance. We’re also calling on other
chiropractic organizations and entities to commit their time and effort to this battle, because if S.1955 passes, any company
or institution that relies on chiropractic for its revenue or sustenance will be affected.
And, of course, ACA is
scouring the halls of Capitol Hill, meeting with senators and their staffs to make sure that they know where the profession
stands on S.1955. The key is to provide support and cover to those who would oppose the bill, and put on notice those who
would support it.
I am sure that some of you are tired of hearing about S.1955; I know that I wish I could write about
something else. But remember that the bill is scheduled to be brought to the Senate floor during the first week of May. So
within a month, this issue may very well be behind us; if ACA members retain their focus and get their colleagues and patients
to call, fax and e-mail their senators, we can look back on this period as a time when the profession rose up as one to protect
chiropractic inclusion in health insurance. If we don’t—if we assume that someone else will make the call or send
the fax—our profession will face enormous change and uncertainty, and we will all wish that we’d taken a few more
minutes to help make a difference.
Please get actively involved; advocacy is a contact sport, and we need all the
hits we can get.
Kevin Corcoran, Executive Vice President
KCorcoran@acatoday.org
Government Relations
L.A. Times: S.1955 Would Modernize Health Insurance “Right
into the Stone Age”
ACA has received confirmation that the first week of May will be "Health Week" in the Senate,
and S.1955 will come to the floor at that time. So time is very much of the essence!
Doctors of chiropractic around
the country will soon receive in the mail an “S.1955 Survival Kit.” Included in the “Survival Kit”
will be background information, talking points, sample letters, and a poster to hang in your office. Much of this information
is currently available by clicking here. Please remember: It is essential that chiropractors ask their patients to sign and fax letters to their senators. Also encourage
patients to call and e-mail their senator’s offices. Advocacy is a volume business, and we need as many voices as we
can get.
This week, Los Angeles Times business columnist Michael Hiltzik wrote a fantastic editorial on the bill that in part stated:
“‘States’ rights’ is one of those political shibboleths
that conservatives love to trot out to block federal initiatives they don't care for. But they're happy to lock it away when
it proves inconvenient to something they love. Like, say, the health insurance lobby.
But Enzi's bill uses small businesses
and their workers as human shields to mask an all-out assault on state regulation of health insurance across the country.
He proposes to preempt state regulators on a wide range of issues, replacing their standards with federal rules that in some
respects have already proven to be dismal failures, and in other respects will be easily manipulated by the insurance industry.”
The next four weeks may determine the future of the chiropractic profession. Everything we do must be dedicated to
defeating S.1955. Please visit our S.1955 Action Center for more information and resources. You can also contact the ACA Department of Government Affairs at 703-812- 0224, or e-mail
stop1955@acatoday.org.
John Falardeau, Vice President of Government Relations
jfalardeau@acatoday.org
Insurance Relations
There is Still Time to Give Your Patients a Voice!
April is
upon us and with that brings the final month ACA will be collecting “Patient Benefit Surveys.” For the tremendous
amount of doctors who have, and continue to, send in these surveys, we thank you for helping us assist you and your patients.
If you have been giving the surveys to your patients and have a stack of them on your desk, please send them by the end of
the month! If you are unaware of this campaign, please click here and scroll down to the Patient Benefit Survey for an explanation of this effort.
In short, we have developed an informal
survey, which will be read not only by ACA, but by regulatory agencies in your state. State departments of insurance and attorneys
general are listening and waiting for this feedback. Give your patients an avenue for their health care concerns to be heard.
The deadline for surveys is April 30, 2006.
Bobby Gibson, Operations Director of Insurance Relations
bgibson@acatoday.org
Communications
ACA Web Site Gets a Makeover
The ACA is pleased to unveil its
newly designed and updated Web site – www.ACAToday.org . Featuring a contemporary new look, the new Web site is more user-friendly than ever before.
The new Web site features
improved navigation to help you find the information, advice and tools that matter most to you. Clearly defined sections will
point ACA members, the public, the media, business partners and students in the right direction as they click through the
site.
New Features Include:
A "Member Information Center" where ACA members can easily access online tools to assist them in their practice—exclusive resources available to
ACA members only. From ACA’s publications and patient education handouts to information about networking listservers
and educational opportunities, ACA members now have a central resource where they can access their benefits. Coming soon:
current members will be able to renew their dues online.
A "Professional Resources" section that contains the information and resources doctors of chiropractic need to keep them from being left behind in
today’s information-driven society. Through this section of our new Web site, you will have access to the tools and
information you need on coding, Medicare, insurance claims, research, practice management, best practices and a wealth of
other topics that you deal with on a daily basis. Coming soon: an online insurance “Help” form that you can
fill out and forward to our staff experts in the coding, insurance relations and documentation areas – to get quick
and thorough answers to your questions.
An "Advocacy" section that provides the latest on ACA’s grassroots lobbying on Capitol Hill, direct outreach with payers and employers,
negotiations with managed care organizations, and when necessary, utilization of legal remedies to obtain fair reimbursement
and ensure quality of care. In this section, you will find Action Alerts, Fact Sheets and more to keep you in the loop and
prepared to participate in ACA calls to action. You’ll also find links to ACA’s Legislative Action Center and ACA-PAC Web site.
A “Patients” section featuring a “Find a Doctor” search page, consumer health tips, the latest chiropractic research, frequently asked questions and a wealth of other
materials that will help patients understand the important role chiropractic plays in the health care system.
A “Press Room” featuring everything a journalist will need to write an accurate and responsible story on chiropractic care. From
ACA’s latest news releases to background information on the association, spokesperson bios, important facts and figures
and letters to the editor, the press room serves as a central resource for the news media professional.
A “Business Partners” section featuring information on ACA’s corporate supporting members, affinity programs and endorsed products
and programs. It also provides information for potential partners hoping to gain access to the chiropractic profession’s
most influential leaders through ACA News advertising and other venues.
A special section for “Students” that contains everything they need to know about the Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA) and its important
efforts at chiropractic colleges nationwide.
Give us your feedback! The ACA will continue to enhance this site to
make it as useful as possible for our increasingly busy members. Take the time to “bookmark” us on your computer,
visit often and give us your feedback. If you experience any “bugs” while browsing the new site, please let us
know by e- mailing us at memberinfo@acatoday.org. It will help us continue to serve you better.
Check Out the Latest Healthy Living Fact Sheet on Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia
is a vexing condition that affects an estimated 3 to 6 percent of Americans, predominantly women. Diagnosing the condition
can be complex. According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, it can take a patient up to four years to be accurately
diagnosed. As a result, patients are often frustrated and have tried a long list of prescription medications to deal with
their condition.
ACA’s newest “Healthy Living” fact sheet provides background on the symptoms and
diagnosis of fibromyalgia—as well as a list of natural alternatives to traditional medical treatment. ACA members can
download the fact sheet from our Web site, photocopy and distribute to patients in their waiting rooms or at health fairs.
Click here to access the fibromyalgia fact sheet, or for more detailed information on how to make the most of our "Healthy Living" fact
sheets.
ACA “Throws the Book” at Documentation Errors
Documentation
Manual Offered at Steep Discount
As part of a comprehensive response to reported high rates of documentation errors
among chiropractors, ACA is making its Clinical Documentation Manual available to the profession at minimal cost through
the end of the year.
The manual is now available for only $39.95 plus shipping and handling. It features 32 easy-to-use
recommendations as well as clinical examples. Chiropractic licensing boards, colleges, insurers and other groups consulted
with ACA in the development of the manual.
To reserve your copy, call (800) 368-3083 or click here.
Felicity Feather, Vice President of Communications
ffeather@acatoday.org
Education and Professional Development
ACA’s Monthly TeleSeminar Audience Continues to Grow - Register
Today!
Looking for a great and convenient way to maintain your required license hours while getting the most up- to-date
information? Here’s what some of our attendees say about the ACA’s monthly TeleSeminars:
"Best telephone/computer
conference I’ve done, thank you!"
“First telephone seminar/conference I’ve participated
in, but was clear and very informative."
"Susan presented the info very well - easy to understand, easy
to teach to doctors in our office who were not able to attend."
Designed for busy doctors of chiropractic,
office managers, chiropractic assistants and students, ACA TeleSeminars are an efficient and economical way to educate yourself
and your staff without having to leave the office. Each 60-minute TeleSeminar includes a live Q & A session with the speaker
and includes free materials to keep for future reference. Save the time and expense of travel. Sign up for an ACA TeleSeminar
today!
Get CEUs! All ACA TeleSeminar programs may be applied for one CEU credit in the following states depending
on the course topic: Colo., Del., Ga., Ill., Iowa, La., Maine, Md., Mo., Neb., Ohio, R.I., S.D., Va. (Type 1). To find out
if your state approves TeleSeminars for CEU credit, click here.
April & May Seminars:
April 25th Hip Extension
and Abduction Dysfunction - Musculoskeletal Rehab
1:30 to 2:30 pm (EST)
Presented by the ACA Specialty Council:
Physiological Therapeutics & Rehabilitation
Featured Instructor: Donald Fedoryk, DC, DACRB, CCSP, CSCS
President,
ACA Council on Chiropractic Physiological Therapeutics & Rehabilitation President
May 9th Coding 2006: Problematic
Codes and Problem Solving
6:30 to 7:30 pm (EST) NEW- Evening Time Slot!!
Instructor: Anthony Hamm, DC, DACRB
Chairman, ACA Coding & Reimbursement Committee
May 23 How to Develop a Sports Chiropractic Practice
1:30
to 2:30 pm (EST)
Presented by the ACA Specialty Council: Council on Sports Injuries & Physical Fitness
Instructor:
Alan K. Sokoloff, DC, D.A.C.B.S.P
Team Chiropractor to the NFL Baltimore Ravens, University of Maryland, and UMBC Retrievers
Registration is just $49 for members, $69 for non-members, FREE for Governor’s Advisory Members.
Three
Ways to register: Download the registration form by clicking here.
1. Fax the completed form to 703-243-2593.
2. Mail it to Seminar Registration 1701 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington,
VA 22209.
3. Call the ACA at 703-276-8800, x249.
To view the complete list of ACA TeleSeminars, click here.
ACA Education Corner for the State Association
Attention all
state associations! Has planning your next educational meeting got you stumped? If so, let the ACA take the guess work out
of it for you. Following on the heels of the highly successful 2004- 2005 turnkey coding seminar, Navigate the Coding &
Insurance Process, the ACA has put together their newest turnkey program titled: Coding & Documentation for the
Chiropractic Practice: Strategies for Success.
This seminar is designed to provide the state association with
a co-sponsorship opportunity to offer to their members as an exclusive member benefit. This program can be tailored to fit
your association’s educational segment in one of three ways:
1. Coding only: 6-hour seminar
2. Documentation
only: 4-hour seminar
3. Coding & Documentation combined: 8-hour seminar
Coding topics include: E/M, ICD-9, CMT,
radiology, physical medicine, modifiers, and fraud avoidance. Documentation topics include the above plus patient health records,
consent, diagnosis, treatment, referrals/consultations, compliance, routine visits, and Medicare.
The ACA provides
you with the all the components for a successful seminar: ACA-approved speakers, PowerPoint slides, marketing materials, registration
forms, post-seminar surveys. Also, ask us about adding ACA’s companion books to this program: ACA Clinical Documentation
Manual and the 2006 Coding Solutions Manual.
No matter which program you choose, this revenue-designed
CEU program will provide the most up-to-date coding and documentation information to your members by the most knowledgeable
coding experts in the industry. You can bring this knowledge to your members while generating substantial non-dues revenue
from the program.
If you are interested in scheduling a "prime" date or discussing the program further, please contact
Janet Ridgely at 703-812-0205.
Janet Ridgely, Director of Administration & Meetings
jridgely@acatoday.org
Member Services and Business Development
Speak Out on the ACA Listserv
Are you taking advantage of the
networking listserv? The listserv empowers ACA members to instantly reach thousands of colleagues to network and share ideas
on a variety of issues. Topics include case review systems, portal-of-entry status for physical therapists, public perception
of chiropractic, HIPAA, marketing to other health care providers, chiropractic care and children, recent health care research,
and much more.
If you are an ACA member, and are not yet on the listserv, don't miss out on this member benefit. This
is your chance to voice your opinion. To join the discussion, click here. Scroll down to find the "New ACA-Members Subscribers" form.
Scholarship Deadline is June 16, 2006
Eligible ACA student
members may win scholarships of up to $2,500 as part of the American Chiropractic Foundation and ACA Auxiliary 2006 Scholarship
Program.
The scholarship program recognizes academic excellence and provides financial assistance to student ACA members
enrolled in accredited chiropractic colleges. To be eligible, applicants must be:
- A student member of ACA in good standing at an accredited chiropractic college in the United States.
- Attending school full time and be in at least his or her second year of study.
- Achieving a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Winners will be selected based on their
applications and responses to one or both of this year's essay questions.
Application and additional materials must
be received at ACA no later than June 16, 2006. For complete details, including application forms, visit our Web site www.acatoday.org, and click on 'Students.'
Paula Diaz, Director of Membership
pdiaz@acatoday.org
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