A robust  IPRC Advocacy Round-Table was held on Thursday June 26, 2014

The  Agenda for the Advocacy Round Table Call included:

Statement of IPRC Membership & Advocacy overall purpose

o To determine what IPRC’s Advocacy Agenda is going forward

o To make sure Members Know what resources are available, and where to go for information

o To empower our members, many of whom come from different sized organizations with different access to advocacy resources

o To build the use of the Forum as a way of empowering by getting our members to post and share advocacy stuff

We discussed  4 major areas
•Access issues – Are there community resources that you can refer kids to?
1. Can you find services to refer to post-acute
2. Is this more acute for Medicaid or Medicare clients
3. Example how to use commercial health for cognitive rehabilitation services
•ACA – what are the impacts that you are currently seeing?
1. Has there been a loss of community pediatric rehab providers, getting squeezed out of Exchanges
2. Can this be seen as an opportunity to start a business where you can meet a need that is not being met
3. Who is looking out for the kids here – are new problems of access being tracked
4. Is care delayed, are more kids being seen, or are the costs being shifted over to business processes pieces
•Payment and reimbursement issues?
1. CPT coding issues
2. Medical Health vs Mental Health benefits in insurance policies
3. Low Reimbursement rates
•What do you see as the priorities for pediatric rehab advocacy?
1. Definitions of Habilitation/Rehabilitation/Special Education
2. Episodes of care
3. Wrap around services
4. School based services

The group will move forward together to determine  what  can realistically be done. A Task Form has been  formed and we hope to define  our calls to action.

WE welcome your participation. Please reply here.

A live poll was conducted 6/26/14- and remains open for 3 hours.  To respond to the poll- click here.