Tag: Clinician Task Force

WASHINGTON – An updated policy article for wheelchair seating that went into effect on Oct. 1, 2022, includes additional ICD-10 codes that will allow Medicare beneficiaries with certain diagnoses to obtain the seating products that they require. The codes were requested by the Clinician Task Force. The codes and diagnoses are: F03 - Unspecified Dementia Group 2 and Group 4 G31.83 - Dementia with Lewy bodies Group 2 and Group 4 G60.0 - Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy Group 2 Q72 codes...

YARMOUTH, Maine – Complex rehab stakeholders submitted more than 3,500 comments in support of reconsidering the national coverage determination for mobility assistive equipment to include power seat elevation systems.  “Even CMS said it was quite a large number of comments,” said Wayne Grau, executive director of NCART, on a recent industry webcast, “and these weren’t cut-and-paste comments. But there’s still a long row to go here.”  Stakeholders...

YARMOUTH, Maine – The Clinician Task Force is in the middle of a fall pledge drive to support the organization’s advocacy, policy work and other activities for next year.  The CTF, which is primarily supported through donations from manufacturers and providers, has a goal of raising $125,000, says Executive Director Cara Masselink.  “This year, we’re going to try to brand manufacturer and supplier membership, but also expand our reach with a healthcare organization...

YARMOUTH, Maine - The Clinician Task Force’s website now has a “Resources” tab to house all of the papers that its work groups have published.  They include a Telehealth Flow Chart, Telehealth Examples and Standing Frame Evidence, with Power Standing Flow Chart and Denial Roadmap to come soon.   “They can be downloaded and used for advocacy and for reference and all the good things,” said Cara Masselink, executive director of the CTF.   The new...

YARMOUTH, Maine – The Clinician Task Force has collected more than 40 completed surveys that stakeholders will use to educate Congress and other policy makers on the importance of physical and occupational therapists retaining the ability to provide telehealth services.  The survey, distributed in collaboration with NCART, will remain open as needed, says Cara Masselink, executive director of the CTF.  “We have a great variety of examples to pull from that describe the...

VENICE, Fla. - The Clinician Task Force has announced new leadership for 2021-23, including Dr. Cara Masselink as executive director. Masselink replaces Cathy Carver, PT, ATP/SMS. She will serve a two-year term. The CTF also welcomes Nicole LaBerge, PT, ATP, to the executive board. She replaces Lorri Bernhardt, PT, MPT, ATP. Masselink, who has been active in the CTF for a few years, recently led a clinical subgroup for the ITEM Coalition providing clinical input for an NCD recommendation to CMS for...

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. in April, NCART, NRRTS, U.S. Rehab and the Clinician Task Force were hosting weekly conference calls for the providers and clinicians trying their best to continue serving patients during the crisis.Here are a few notes from those calls:Prior authorizations pausedStakeholders received confirmation in mid-April that prior authorizations for power mobility devices are not required during the crisis. Providers may continue to submit PA requests if...

More than half of the respondents to a second survey from the Clinician Task Force say they're starting to use telehealth, Cathy Carver says.Of the clinicians who are using telehealth, 30% say they're using a HIPAA-compliant version of Zoom, 12% are using Microsoft Teams and 8% are using Doxy.Me.“That's a big change from our last survey,” said Carver, executive director of CTF. “There's more use oftelehealth.”More than 150 clinicians responded to CTF's second survey.CTF has...

One-third of clinicians recently surveyed by the Clinician Task Force have seen their seating clinics closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, says Cathy Carver.The closures are a result of a number of issues, including patients not wanting to come into the clinics and of clinicians being moved to other parts of hospitals to respond to the crisis.“Access to clinicians in the traditional seating clinic setting is challenging in some areas,” said Carver, executive director of the CTF, during...

EAST AMHERST, N.Y. - NCART, NRRTS, U.S. Rehab and the Clinician Task Force are hosting a free webinar on COVID-19 Thursday, April 2, at 4 p.m. EST. The webinar will provide an update for complex rehab providers, manufacturers and clinicians, and allow time for information sharing and open discussion. “The COVID-19 virus is presenting significant challenges in all aspects of life, including the safe and timely provision of complex rehab technology and supporting services,” NCART stated...