ABAI NEWSFLASH: Expansion of the Practice Board and Board Member Activities

Expansion of the Practice Board and Board Member Activities

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) Practice Board has been very active over the past six months. Membership and the focus of the Board has been expanded; this was done to address issues ABAI members have identified as critical to their support needs in the practice of applied behavior analysis...

Included in this expansion of the Practice Board membership are the following,
 
Chair: Michael  F. Dorsey, Ph.D., BCBA

Committees  and respective committee chairs:

• Governmental  Affairs: Thomas Zane,  Ph.D., BCBA
• Licensing:  Michael Weinberg, Ph.D., BCBA
• Insurance:  Doreen Granpeesheh, Ph.D., BCBA
• Insurance  Billing: Travis Thompson, Ph.D., and Wayne Fisher, Ph.D., BCBA
• Science  to Practice: Jennifer Zarcone, Ph.D., BCBA
• Education:  R. Douglas Greer, Ph.D.
• Practitioner  Hotline: Jon Bailey, Ph.D., BCBA
• Administrators:  Bob Littleton, Ed.D., and Rita Gardner, MPH, BCBA
• Student  Practitioners: Josh Pritchard, MS, BCBA
  

Members of the ABAI Practice Board have attended or are scheduled to attend a number of ABAI affiliated state chapter and related conferences this year, including:

• New Jersey ABA
• Tennessee ABA
• Missouri ABA
• Four  Corners ABA
• The  Berkshire Association for Behavior Analysis and Therapy
  
• Autism  New Jersey
• Minnesota Northland ABA
• Texas ABA
• Pennsylvania ABA
• Behavior  Analysis Association of Michigan

Practice Board members are available to present at state conferences on subjects related to practice or to consult with chapters on issues such as the development of state licensing laws or third party insurance billing. Recently, Thomas Zane, Michael Weinberg, and Michael Dorsey were invited to meet with the Board of Directors of New Jersey ABA and consult on the potential development of a state licensing law.

Please feel free to contact the ABAI office to request an appearance or meeting with Practice Board members.

Billing Committee Update

Travis Thompson, Ph.D., Co-Chair of the ABAI Practice Board’s Insurance Billing Committee reported on December 22, 2009 that his committee recently forwarded a "Letter of Intent" to submit a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Billing Code proposal covering ABA services for children diagnosed with Autism to the American Medical Association for consideration. Dr. Thompson noted that a representative from AMA contacted him today and that they confirmed receiving our letter of intent. Further, the AMA representative commented that the AMA thought the committee appropriately involved a cross-section of constituencies and organizations, and they noted that it was a good step that the Chair of the Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (which oversees ADHD and autism) of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has offered to assist with the effort. AAP is the major professional organization for all pediatricians. Dr. Thompson noted that the ABAI proposal is anticipated to be submitted to the AMA Committee June 2010. The AMA representative noted that, if our request is acted on favorably at the June 2010 meeting, the new codes could be in place by June 2012.
-------------------------
Related links and posts:

Practice Resources, ABA International

Sunday, December 20, 2009
Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG Blog
December 2009 notes on recent activities of the ABAI Practice Board

Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG Blog 
ABAI NEWSFLASH: New Practice Resources at ABA International!

----------

Website: Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG

-----------

Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org

NEWS: U.S. Senate passes HR3590: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

HR 3590: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed in the U.S. Senate early December 24, 2009 with a 60-39 vote split along party lines.





The bill will now go to a House-Senate conference committee to reconcile HR 3590 and the House-passed bill, HR 3962: Affordable Health Care for America Act, the bill passed in the U.S. House on November 7, 2009. It is anticipated that informal discussions will commence during the holidays prior to the reconvening of the House on January 12, and the Senate on January 19, with an eye to reaching a compromise that can pass both houses of the U.S. Congress and be favorable to President Barack Obama's signature prior to the annual State of the Union address.

For further reading and past blogposts:

Senate approves health care reform bill
CNN
By Alan Silverleib, CNN
December 24, 2009 1:01 p.m. EST

Senate Says Yes To Landmark Health Bill
National Public Radio
by Scott Hensley
December 24, 2009

Next Step: Getting A Health Bill To Obama's Desk
National Public Radio
by Kevin Whitelaw
December 24, 2009

Newsmaker: Obama on Health Reform Politics, Copenhagen Climate Outcome
NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW    AIR DATE: Dec. 23, 2009
PBS Newshour
also mp3 and transcript

Monday, December 21, 2009
Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG Blog
NEWS: U.S. Senate health care bill HR 3590 passes crucial hurdle; passage in Senate expected by December 25

Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG Blog
NEWS: CLASS Act stays in health care reform, and estimate of the Congressional health care reform legislative calendar

-----------

Website: Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG

-----------

Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org

FYI: Self-funded Health Insurance Plans and ERISA

With the state legislature sessions opening soon and the likelihood of insurance reform legislation submissions, it seems timely to point out information on reimbursement (and limitations) under self-funded health insurance Plans, and to make note either as an advocate or potential beneficiary of legislation as to the language of a bill (or law) in regards to the matter of self-funded policies.

As noted by Autismvotes, in its webpage, Information for Families With Self-Funded Health Insurance Plans

"Even in the states that have passed autism insurance reform , many children are still unable to receive treatment because they are insured through self-funded plans that are not regulated by the state.  If you work for a large company or government, there is a chance your health plan is a self-funded insurance plan.  For self-funded insurance plans, federal ERISA [Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)] law preempts most state insurance regulations, including benefit reforms like autism insurance reform..."

Some of the useful resources at Autismvotes are,

• Self-funded plans: Establishing an autism benefit
• How Private Health Insurance Works: A Primer
• Companies with self-insured health plans that have opted to provide coverage for autism therapies

The Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) also recently published an article on self-insured entities, with pointers on which self-insured companies provide ABA coverage in their policies,

Self-Insured Employers Cover ABA Intervention for Autism and Other Special Needs
Laurie Stuebing, APBA Autism Task Force
APBA Reporter Issue # 3 - February, 2009.

One other useful reference is from the State of Colorado, Division of Insurance - this has some Colorado-specific clauses, but in general is a clear, lay-friendly explanation of ERISA, self-funded plans, and information on departments in the Federal Government dealing with this area.

ERISA -- Employer-sponsored Self-funded Health Benefit Plans
Colorado Division of Insurance January 2009

• What is ERISA?
• What is the difference between a health insurance plan and an employer-funded health benefit plan
• (ERISA)?
• What steps can I take if I am covered under an ERISA plan and my claim is denied?
• Who has regulatory authority for ERISA plans?
• What are required procedures for Employee Welfare Benefit Plans (Self-funded Plans)?
• What is the “summary plan description” and how does it work?
• Do states have the authority to regulate Employer-sponsored Self-funded Health Benefit Plans?
• How many people in Colorado are insured under an employer-sponsored or self-funded health benefit plan (ERISA plan)?
• Who can provide more information on Employer-Funded Health Benefit Plans?

-----------

Website: Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG

-----------

Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org

NEWS: U.S. Senate health care bill HR 3590 passes crucial hurdle; passage in Senate expected by December 25

The Los Angeles Times reports  that a cloture motion was passed in the U.S. Senate Monday morning at 1 AM EST, allowing HR3590: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act  to proceed towards expected approval in that chamber this week. The Senate is in recess until 12:00 PM EST Monday/today.

It is also reported that, dependent on HR 3590 passing in the Senate, a conference committee will convene early in 2010 to reconcile the differences between the House [HR 3962]  and Senate [HR 3590]  versions of health care reform legislation.

Politico blog reports that votes on HR 3950 are scheduled for 1 a.m. Monday 12/21 (time past) The second is to be 1 p.m. Wednesday 12/23, and the final one will be at 7 p.m. Thursday 12/24/09, although given the moment by moment developments in health care reform deliberation, these may be subject to change.

------------------------------
For further reading & Past Blog Posts
Health Bill May Pass Senate By Christmas
NPR Morning Edition
Audio Will be available at 9:00am ET

Senate Democrats get 60 votes to move healthcare bill along
By Janet Hook and Noam N. Levey
December 21, 2009
Los Angeles Times

GOP leader vows to stay to February
By MIKE ALLEN | 12/21/09 3:52 AM EST
Politico

Senate votes to give green light to health care bill
December 21, 2009 4:18 a.m. EST
CNN

Tuesday, December 15, 2009
NEWS: CLASS Act stays in health care reform, and estimate of the Congressional health care reform legislative calendar

Tuesday, December 1, 2009
ACTION OPPORTUNITY: Online petition requests behavior analysis be included in health care reform

-----------

Website: Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG
-----------

Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body.
For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org

December 2009 notes on recent activities of the ABAI Practice Board

[Note -  This is a reminder that while a Special Interest Group of ABA International, statements of the Practitioner's Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG (PIBA-SIG) do not represent, nor claim to represent,  formal policy of the Association for Behavior Analysis, International (ABAI). The below notice is just a summing up/an FYI of that information currently available publicly on the ABA International website, and readers are encouraged to go to the primary sources for full and definitive information]
---------------------------
The ABA International newsletter, Inside Behavior Analysis 1(2), December 2009 reported some interesting and useful updates on developments within ABA International by the ABAI Practice Board.
Inside Behavior Analysis states that this is a followup to an earlier email communication sent to members in September.

Below is a summary of what was reported in the newsletter on Practice Board activities and focus at the current time. Please refer to Inside Behavior Analysis 1(2), December 2009 for the full article, and consult the Practice Board pages at ABA International.

Insurance coverage

• Two new committees are in development to assist practitioners with insurance billing questions.
• An insurance summit is planned for the national convention in San Antonio bringing together representatives of ABAI, the BACB, insurance companies, Autism Speaks, and other advocacy groups.
  

Licensure

• Descriptions are given of state licensure acts that have already passed and initiatives in progress or proposed, as well as progress on a model licensing act

Governmental affairs

• Members of the Practice Board have been meeting with some of the affiliated chapters to assist with governmental advocacy, and will be expanding in the future to international efforts.
• Information is given on members of the Practice Board to contact should an affiliated chapter or organization be considering bills that would affect practitioners of behavior analysis
  

Affiliated Chapter support

• A full-day session for affiliated chapter training is being planned to immediately precede the ABAI Autism Conference in Chicago on Friday, January 22, 2010. 
• Another meeting for all affiliated chapters of ABAI is planned for the 2010 Annual Convention in San Antonio
  

A New Practitioner Hotline

• A practitioner hotline has been created to give access to consultation services and advice to behavior analysis practitioners on pressing professional issues.
  

Agency Management

• A committee is forming for those behavior analysts who have positions of responsibility in the private or public sector as CEO/COO of large agencies, Special Education Director or in service to school boards or state committees. The purpose of this committee is provide a forum for ABAI members in such roles and to provide a mentor service for new to such positions. 
• There is currently an invitation offered for those who would be interested in participation on such a committee
  

Task Forces

• Position Statements
• A task force with joint participation of the Science and Practice Boards has been formed on the question of seclusion and restraint. The charge of the task force is to develop and recommend a position statement on the appropriate use of restraint and seclusion to be submitted to ABAI Full Members for consideration.
  

• Code of Ethics
• A task force is currently being assembled to study the implications of revising a code of ethics for behavior analysts that will represent and support scientists and researchers, educators, and practitioners.

Higher Education Accreditation and improvements

• Various initiatives are in progress, headed by the ABAI Education Board, to develop or improve criteria related to higher education standards in the training of behavior analysts.
  

For other updates, also see the below pages of which may contain additional details or elaborations of the above summaries, and additional information, such as contact people and Board Members within ABA International,

A Letter From the ABAI President
By Raymond G. Miltenberger, Inside Behavior Analysis 1(2), December 2009

Practice Board Page at ABA International,

Practice Resources page at ABA International
Which has news you can use in aid of advocacy on a variety of issues, and the formal Position Statements of ABA International

ABAI Education Board
By Charles T. Merbitz, Inside Behavior Analysis 1(2), December 2009

-----------

Website: Practitioner Issues in Behavior Analysis SIG

-----------

Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org