The New York State Chiropractic Association is proud to announce the results of our May 2017 elections.

The Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) is set for June 3-4 in Philadelphia. 

The NYSCA is saddened to notify the Association's members, friends, and professional family of the passing of Dale Cohen, DC, MSHSA, MBA.

The final NYS budget passed both houses late last Sunday night. Despite no significant workers’ compensation reforms being included in the original proposed budget bills, there were many last minute negotiations regarding worker’s compensation reform that we followed closely. 

Of specific concern  was PPO language that would create a 120 day opt-out and any general provisions that would have limited patient access to the provider of their choice. Working with the Council, our lobbyists shared our concerns with key legislators as to the negative impact this would have on worker’s compensation patients. We are happy to report that this language was not included in the final budget. 

As workers compensation reform was on the table, we made a concerted push to ensure that the reforms included IME reform. We have discussed this over the years as an item for the Joint Legislative Task Force with the Council.  The enacted legislation calls for the creation of an IME Advisory Committee to “conduct a thorough study of the utilization of independent medical examinations” with a goal of “regulatory and statutory proposals” that will consider a new method of assigning these independent medical examinations.

This advisory committee will be composed of representatives from organized labor, business, carriers, self-insured employers, medical providers and other stakeholders and experts as the chair deems fit to include.  We have already talked to the chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board about this advisory committee, and the chair assured us that he will seek our active engagement in this process.  We will keep you updated on the status of the advisory committee and our role in the process.

The final enacted workers’ compensation reforms also included adoption of impairment guidelines and as well as performance standards for insurance carriers.  In what we are viewing as a very positive development, the final reforms also included development of a drug formulary.  It is our hope that the adoption of a drug formulary will lead to less opioid abuse and over prescription and encourage a return to conservative proven care such as chiropractic.

We waited to send this update on workers’ compensation because on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, our Workers’ Compensation committee, in conjunction with the Council’s committee, met with the chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board.  The meeting was very productive.  

This was a follow up to our meeting in the fall where we discussed several issues facing our members that led to the creation of the Workers’ Compensation response form that both Associations asked our members to use in order for us to track concerns and issues.  We presented to the chair the information we gathered and the issues we are seeing, and he promised to review those issues and address training and carrier issues that he is empowered to address.  We will be following up with him and scheduling another meeting in the near future.  Also, as noted above, he indicated a strong desire to have chiropractic actively involved and engaged in the IME reform initiatives.

While issues remain with workers’ compensation, we hope that the just enacted reforms will help to alleviate some of the problems and that our ongoing dialogue and engagement with the chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board will lead to some relief for our members.

CMS is once again conducting their annual survey of Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) performance and requesting feedback from the provider community we serve through the MAC Satisfaction Indicator (MSI).
 
The MAC Satisfaction Indicator (MSI) is the best way to share your opinions of our service directly with the CMS. This survey should only take 10 minutes of your time and helps us understand how we can better serve you. To take the survey, click on the URL below:

Seneca Falls, NY:  At commencement exercises on April 1 in the Standard Process Health and Fitness Center, New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) conferred the Doctor of Chiropractic degree on 52 candidates.

The 2017 Posture Month campaign will help people “ACE” their posture to become Aware, take Control, and design an intelligent home and work Environment.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has yet to release critical 2017 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligibility information to allow providers to determine if they fall under the low-volume threshold exemption.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on March 28 that the Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) Form and instructions were approved for renewal. The effective date for use of the updated ABN form is May 27.

If you missed this past NYSCA convention at the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort (March 10-12, 2017), you missed great speakers, a fun environment, and an opportunity to hear two dynamic presentations by Dr. Fabrizio Mancini.

Seneca Falls, NY: At commencement exercises on April 1, 2017, in the Standard Process Health and Fitness Center, New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) will confer the Doctor of Chiropractic degrees on 52 candidates.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA), during its annual House of Delegates meeting March 17, approved a resolution to adopt clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of low back pain from the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Council on Chiropractic Guidelines and Practice Parameters (CCGPP). The association seeks to direct its members, payers and policy makers toward shared interpretations of current evidence-based best practices. 

The NYSCA just completed its 2017 Spring Convention at Mohegan Sun.  We had a great lineup of speakers, an exciting agenda at our Board and House meetings, and together we reignited the spark that will lead to a brighter future for NY chiropractors.

Upon learning that Dr. Frank J. Nicchi would retire on August 31, 2017 after 37 years of service to New York Chiropractic College, the Board of Trustees acted to bestow upon him the honorific title of, "President Emeritus" effective with his retirement. According to Dr. Thomas R. De Vita, chair of the Board, this exceptional status recognizes Dr. Nicchi's outstanding and distinguished service to the College, not only during his 17 years as president, but throughout his entire tenure.

On January 18, 2017 the SDRC and two chiropractic U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Certified Medical Examiners (CME) in New York filed an Article 78 against the NYS Commissioner of Education, the NYS Board of Regents, the Executive Secretary of the NYS Board for Chiropractic and the Deputy Commissioner of Education, NYS Office of the Professions over an ostensible change in Department policy that, petitioners claim, “illegally revoked and overturned decades of state policy allowing doctors of chiropractic to perform DOT exams.” Petitioners claim that the Education Department and Board for Chiropractic changed a state policy in an arbitrary and capricious manner without legal authority; without following proper rulemaking procedures and regulations; in flagrant violation of petitioners’ constitutional rights to due process of law, and without any statutory basis in law to make such a determination.