Senate Health Care Update

***Thank you to all who raised your voices and told our lawmakers that affordable health coverage is something everyone should have! The “Skinny Repeal” bill failed in the Senate by ONE vote! This is a HUGE win for Nebraskans! The fight for affordable health care coverage is far from over and your continued advocacy is greatly appreciated! Thank you!***

On Tuesday, July 25th, the Senate passed a motion to begin the process of repealing and replacing the “Affordable Care Act” (ACA). APA and APAPO maintained their strong opposition to this effort, highlighted by their recent joint letter, found HERE. So far, the Senate has voted against a repeal and replace bill and a repeal only bill. While this is a promising development the Senate process is ongoing and could last through Friday.

What seems most likely is that the Senate will try to pass a “skinny” version of ACA repeal. This bill would include just a few provisions such as repealing the mandates that require individuals to have and businesses to provide health insurance, or pay a tax penalty.

We need your continued advocacy to put pressure on the Senate.  Click HERE for more information and to contact your senators.

____________________________________

Wellcare Nebraska Medicaid Update

As of July 23, 2017, prior authorization is no longer required for the member’s 9000 series codes. If you need to determine which codes require authorization, you can reference the Authorization Lookup Tool for PAR providers on wellcare.com.
 
Although the date of the Wellcare Nebraska Medicaid – Quick Reference Guide is January, 2017, when you click on the Authorization Lookup Tool link within the document, you can enter any CPT code and find out if it requires pre-authorization.  That part has changed and it now says the therapy codes don’t require preauthorization. If you have any questions, please call Wellcare Health Plans, Inc. at 813-206-7632

Although no formal notification has been received as of yet, Nebraska Total Care also is not requiring pre-authorizations for therapy codes as of July 23rd, 2017.

____________________________________

NPA RxP "Team"

Several individuals attended the July 20th 407 hearing in Lincoln supporting NPA's Prescriptive Authority for Psychologists (RxP) efforts! Pictured here are: (left to right) Dave Montgomery Ph.D., Dan Ullman PhD. (NPA RxP Chair), Dave Calkins, (NPA RxP videographer and producer), Anne Talbot, Psy.D. (NPA President), Mikel Merritt, Ph.D., Delinda Mercer, Ph.D., Rebecca Schroeder, Ph.D. and Glenn Ally, Ph.D. Click HERE to learn more about NPA's RxP efforts.

____________________________________

NPA Recognizes Past Leadership

NPA celebrated association leadership, recognizing former NPA Presidents at the recent Spring Conference. From left to right… Jim Madison, Will Spaulding, Anne Talbot, Tom Guck, Dave Carver, Diane Marti and Dan Ullman. Thank you to all who have served in leadership positions with NPA for your service, dedication and hard work on behalf of Nebraska psychologists!

____________________________________

APAPO "State Beat" Highlights NPA's ongoing efforts for updated licensing regulations

Check out APAPO’s April 20, 2017, PracticeUpdate “State Beat” article: “Association and board at odds with state over anti-discrimination issue; The Nebraska Psychological Association continues its nine-year fight to uphold ethics code and pass stalled regulations”

____________________________________

NPA continues to speak out about psychology licensing regulations

NPA President, Anne Talbot, Psy.D., provides a succinct review of the long-stalled psychology licensing regulation in today's (4/11/17) Omaha World Herald Op Ed piece "Psychology rules, politics don't mix".  Members, read NPA's summary of the March 31, 2017, Board of Psychology meeting which included a discussion and NPA's public comment on the licensing regulations.

NPA comments on stalled licensing regulations

NPA leadership recently spoke with the Lincoln Journal Star regarding the long-stalled licensing regulations. Following LJS Nancy Hick’s Saturday, March 11th article “Boards, Ricketts at Odds”, the Journal Star published NPA President Anne Talbot’s Local View “Behind the Licensing Impasse”, which is the culmination of an extensive dialogue of the NPA Board, further clarifying the history and importance of this issue. As highlighted in these articles, the continued refusal to approve the updated  licensing regulations puts some of Nebraska’s most vulnerable citizens and public safety at  risk. In addition, outdated regulations impair our ability to recruit the best and brightest new psychologists to our state. Our understanding is that Senator Pansing-Brooks read the entire piece into the record on the floor of the Unicameral this morning (3/15/17). Click HERE for pdfs of the articles.

If you are not yet a member, or your membership has lapsed, now is the time to take action! NPA continues to advocate strongly for psychology and psychologists in Nebraska, and your active participation is important! Membership Matters!

____________________________________

APA Stress in America™ Report
APA has released the first part of it's "Stress in America™ report. This release of survey data pertains to post-election stress, which shows more Americans reporting symptoms of stress and citing personal safety and terrorism as sources of stress. 

The current Stress in America™ survey was conducted in August 2016 and January 2017 and will be released in two phases:

• Stress in America: Coping with Change, Part 1. Release date Feb. 15, 2017.
• Stress in America: Coping with Change, Part 2 (Technology). Release date Feb. 23, 2017.
  

Click Here for more information, including methodology, interpreting data, infographics, related articles, etc.

____________________________________

APA Thanks VA for Exempting Health Care Provider Positions From Freeze

____________________________________

NPA responds to call for input on proposed Service Definitions
NPA has submitted a response to the call for input on the proposed Service Definitions for applied behavior analysis. The response  expressed NPA's objections to the Service Definitions as proposed with a detailed explanation and suggested revisions.

Due to rescheduling of the Behavioral Health Integration Advisory Committee (BHIAC) meeting, the service definitions draft released January 13, 2017 will remain open for comment through the BHIAC meeting on February 17, 2017.

Please review the proposed service definitions . Comments and responses were due by February 17, 2017.

Read NPA's Response

____________________________________

If you have not yet renewed your membership, make sure you do so today! It's simple… just log in to your member profile, click on "View Profile", then "Renew".

____________________________________

Support the NPA each time you register for a Trust Ethics and Risk Management Webinar
You now have yet another way to earn continuing education credits, become eligible for a 15% savings on Trust Sponsored Professional Liability Insurance premiums for two renewals, and support the Nebraska Psychological Association simply by attending one of the featured Trust's Ethics and Risk Management CE Webinars.  Simply enter the promotion code TRUST-NE. Watch for more information from The Trust coming soon!
____________________________________

NPA endorses the Trust and its Insurance Programs.



APA Practice Organization Legislative Action Center