What's Happening


Senate Vote Coming Up!
May 14, 2012
by Mark DeSantis, PA-C

Calling All Pennsylvania PAs, Faculty and Students

    Your profession needs your help!  As you know, the Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants (PSPA) has been working hard to amend state law to eliminate the requirement that physicians countersign all patient charts and most forms completed by physician assistants.  Representative Curt Sonney has introduced House Bills (HBs) 1832 and 1833 to eliminate this countersignature requirement.

   On March 27th, the full House of Representatives voted 195-1 to pass this legislation.  The Senate may be voting on HBs 1832 and 1833 this week.

   Here’s what we need for you to do today: PSPA would like you and your supervising physician to call your state senators(s) and ask them to support HBs 1832 and 1833 before Tuesday, May 22 at 5pm.  Hearing from you now about your practice and how this bill will help you improve patient care will give your state senator(s) that much more reason to support the bill. 

 

If you need to find your state senator(s), please click here: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/#address

 

Please provide your senators with as much information about PAs and physician-PA team practice as they need. And be sure to make these critical points: 

  • Patients will not be harmed.  Facilities and practices can adopt chart countersignature requirements and other measures that provide quality physician oversight. This decision-making ability allows for greater responsiveness to patient needs.

  • Requiring a physician to countersign every patient chart is not quality oversight. If a physician is required to countersign all patient charts, he or she has less time available for in-depth discussion of specific cases with the PA. 
  • About half of all states have eliminated countersignature requirements, including Ohio, Maryland and New York.  States across the country are modernizing laws to remove barriers and improve care. 

 

Legislators want to hear from as many of their constituents as possible, so volume counts!  Ask all PAs you work with, along with physicians, family members, and other supporters to contact their legislators—soon!

 

Your help is critical to this effort!  Your voice and those of your supervising physician(s) and patients will make the difference. Please call your state senator today.  

 

Thanks in advance for your efforts!

 

Sincerely,

Mark DeSantis, PA-C

PSPA Governmental Affairs Committee

Bills 1832 & 1833 include the following legislative changes:

        1.      Deletion of the requirement of a physician’s countersignature
2.      Allowing for work agreement approval when a Physician Assistant files a complete application with their respective Board
3.      Allow PAs’ to sign for Municipal and State police physicals
4.      Allow PAs’ to sign for foster and daycare physicals
 
Haven’t done this before? It’s not a problem. Just write out what you want to say ahead of time. This will help you stay focused and you will be able to get your message across in a concise and logical manner.
Introduce yourself.  Make sure you give your name, address, and telephone number. Also, tell them if you are a registered voter in the district; it is important to say so. Give them your background and tell them about the PA profession. Some legislators may not know exactly what you do.
Know your facts.  Read the bills ahead of time and know the bill numbers and titles so the legislator and their staff can access them quickly.
Explain your reasons for asking for support on the legislation.  Talk about your practice and how the changes will improve access to care and eliminate the time barriers currently in place.  Explain how the legislators’ decision will affect the timeliness and access to care for their constituents and improve the efficiency of the physician/PA team.
Tell your legislator what you would like done.  In this case, support our house bills. It is the legislator’s responsibility to listen and to make decisions based on their constituency’s concerns and needs.
Important points to remember: 
  1. Stay focused on your issue.
  2. Listen carefully and take notes.
  3. If you get a question you don’t know the answer to, refer them to the PSPA or our lobbying group, Milliron Associates (717)232-4467
  4. Be as brief as possible, but don’t rush the conversation.
  5. Follow up on your conversation with a phone call or letter.
Following this guideline should lead to a successful legislative visit! If you choose to call your legislator, the same guidelines apply. Let us know how your visits go. Our lobbyists are always eager to follow up on your conversations and good luck!

 

House Bill 2465 Federal Workers Compensation Act
May 07, 2012
by Gerry Grega, PA-C

All PAs need to support House Bill 2465. See the AAPA Legislative Action Center for further details.

What the Frack?
May 07, 2012
by SVAPOHN

Susquehanna Valley Association of Pennsylvania Occupational Health Nurses, Inc (SVAPOHN) in alliance with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) offers this exciting 1/2 day seminar. This Seminar is perfect for the Occupational Health Nurses, Human Resource, Risk Managers and Safety Professionals, as well as the general public.

Objectives:

- Describe one key activity associated with the process of fracking to obtain natural gas.

-  Define one critical component of effective safety management techniques that are applied to gas well site safety.

-  State one type of hazard and one safety violation typically found at the Marcellus Shale worksites.

-  Apply OSHA’s new policies to your injury and illness management and record keeping tasks.

Please see the full brochure or go SVAPOHN online register.

Call for Participants
Apr 14, 2012
by Bill Reynolds, PA-C

      The Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants has joined the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and numerous other professional, governmental, and private organizations to improve the oral health of children in Pennsylvania.   We ask that all PSPA members please complete the following anonymous survey which will be used to assess the knowledge and the needs of providers in the commonwealth.  The survey should only take 5 minutes.  The survey will only be open until April 30, 2012.  More information available here. 

You Are Invited...
Mar 14, 2012
by Leadership Committee

Currently a leader or would like to be one?

Interested in helping determine the direction and
future of PAs in Pennsylvania and the PSPA?

Come join your friends and colleagues for the
PSPA Leadership Development Day!!

Channel your inner leader!
Learn skills that will help you in and outside your
profession including hands-on techniques!

 

 

WHEN:  Sunday April 29, 2012, 9AM-4PM


WHERE:  Harrisburg Hilton Hotel
                1 North Second Street
                Harrisburg, PA 17101-1601
                (717) 233-6000


WHO:  YOU!!

COST:  All expenses covered including registration, breakfast and lunch, and possibly even a hotel night. Travel and incidental expenses not covered.


Some of the topics to be covered include:

          - Team Building              
            - Dealing with Difficult People
            - Mentoring


Want to attend the hottest program in town? Just RSVP to Susan Desantis at pspa@pspa.net or 724-836-6411 by 4/14/12.  This event is only open to practicing PAs and faculty. Students will have their own leadership even at the annual CME conference this fall- stay tuned!

 

For room reservations please contact the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel by 3/28/12. Hotel cost will only be covered for those also attending the Saturday, April 28th PSPA board of directors meeting.  Room rate $109/night + tax (double occupancy) which will be covered by PSPA at check-out. A credit card may be needed to hold your room when reserving and at check-in. The Hotel Reservation number is 717-233-6000.

 

Questions???
Contact Tracy Wright PA-C at TWright@francis.edu or Karen Sweeney PA-C  at KSweeney@pspa.net, Leadership Committee Co-Chairs

 

 

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!!!!!

 

PSPA 2012 ELECTIONS
Feb 22, 2012
by Rob Emery
Spring into the new year by trying something different, challenging yourself while expanding your horizons. Why not run for an open office in the PSPA? It’s also a great way to become involved in the society, not to mention it looks good on your resume! The PSPA will be holding elections for several seats/offices this April and May. The positions open this year are:
 
- President Elect (1 open position)
- Director at Large (2 open positions)
- Student Director at Large (2 open positions)

Please note:
• Only junior and senior students may apply for the student director-at-large position. This is a one year term.
• Any fellow member in good standing may run for the other positions.
• Most offices hold a two-year term beginning on July 1. The exception is for president-elect which will hold a four year term. One year as president-elect, two years as president, and one year as immediate past president.
• Detailed job descriptions can also be found by clicking here.
 
If you have an interest in running for an office/position/seat -OR- would like to nominate a candidate, please submit the documents detailed below for your candidacy or submit the nominee member's name to Chad Jackson, PA-C, Elections Chair, 710 Grom Hill Road, Coudersport, PA 16915, or you may email Chad the information and documents at cjackson224@gmail.com.

(1) letter of intent,
(2) brief biographical profile,
(3) platform statement, 300 words or less,
(4) small color photo of your head and shoulders.

Students, you only have to submit a platform statement and picture by March 15th for elections in April.
Please submit all fellow nominations by April 15th (that’s right, income tax day!) for elections in May.

Please don’t be shy; this is a good way for you to become a more active member within the PSPA. Let the rest of us see what you have been thinking, or how you want to contribute to this wonderful society. For those of you who are already active, don’t be afraid to try something new. I know, most of us work and have families and children, and an endless list of other obligations; but most positions require less then 10 hours of your time a month and it gives you a chance to see how your ideas can make a difference within the society. I am looking forward to an exciting election this year!
Early Bird for AAPA
Feb 19, 2012
by Deanna Najera, PA-C

AAPA's 40th annual CME conference is being held in Toronto May 26th to 31st.  Early bird registration at the reduced rate ends February 24th.  Remember that you need your passport in order to attend the conference, and it can take 6 weeks or even longer to get it. Apply for it today!

 

PSPA will be sending representatives to the House of Delegates meeting, and we encourage members to get involved in the process.  Don't forget that HOD seats will be up for election- nominations are now being accepted. Additionally, two Directors at Large, two Student Directors at Large, and President-Elect are also open! For more information contact Chad Jackson, elections chair.

Last Chance Offers!
Dec 12, 2011
by Deanna Najera, PA-C

     As this year winds to a close, be sure to check your CME funds.  If you have money left, you may want to renew early. Or perhaps buy some new mobile apps or subscribe to the latest journals in your field.  And there's also MD Consult- the easist way to ace your PANRE and impress your supervising physician by having access to the best information available. Remember that you have to be a member to have access to all the discounts.

     Students- there's great stuff for your holiday wish list! And ways to save on the things you need to buy for next semester.

Check out just some of the savings:
- Advance Shop
- Natural Standard
- The Medical Letter
- Practice Pearls
- Personalized Clothing
- Practical Reviews

Do any shopping on Amazon? Check out our recommendations!

  

LAST CHANCE TO SAVE 15% on E MED HOME!

Enter code "PSPA" at checkout - expires December 31st!

Health America makes significant change
Nov 19, 2011
by Tricia Marriot, PA-C

 

Pennsylvania Payer announces change in PA reimbursement policy that requires PAs to enroll

 

 
Health America, a commercial payer in Pennsylvania, has announced a change in their non-physician practitioner reimbursement policy.
In a letter dated October 31, 2011, HealthAmerica, a Coventry Health Care Plan, informed its providers that effective January 1, 2012 they will begin reimbursing non-physician practitioners at 85 percent of the applicable physician’s fee schedule. They have also stated that they will reimburse for non-physician practitioners services that meet the CMS criteria for “incident-to” at 100 per cent of the applicable physician’s fee schedule. The letter goes on to define the requirements and criteria for “incident-to” billing and notes that “documentation to support billing “incident-to” services must clearly link the services of the non-physician practitioner to the services of the supervising physician.”
According to the communication from HealthAmerica, “implementing this payment methodology aligns HealthAmerica’s payment policy with the standards of the industry and those of the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services.
IMPORTANT!
This change in policy requires that each non-physician practitioner completes the “HealthAmerica Non-Physician Practitioner Form”, which must be submitted by December 15, 2011. If these forms are not submitted by the deadline, claims submitted for PA services may be denied.
If you are a provider in the HealthAmerica Plan and  have questions, have not received a letter, or need the HealthAmerica Non-Physician Practitioner Form, contact your Provider Relations representative at 1-800-735-2202 or you can find your specific representative here.
 
Summary Matrix of PA / NP / CNM regulations
Nov 17, 2011
by Susan DeSantis, PA-C

The Hospital Association of Pennsylvania has released the 2011 version of the Matrix for Advance Practice Professionals. This summary document includes the state and federal regulations, Joint commission and CMS quidelines regarding the use of PA / NP and CNW providers. Click here for more details.