RCPA Submits Comments on CMS 2026 Physician Fee Schedule
2026 IPRC Webinar Schedule Now Available
Mark your calendars and plan to join us for IPRC’s exciting 2026 educational webinar series. Complimentary registration for all IPRC webinars is a benefit of your RCPA/IPRC Membership.
Tuesday, January 6, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST
Understanding CARF’s New Standards for Disorders of Consciousness
Thursday, February 5, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST
Practical Treatment Options for Neuro-Opthalmic Impairments and Disorders
Tuesday, March 17, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST
Overview of Sexuality & Disability in Pediatrics (Part I)
Tuesday, March 24, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST
A Discipline-Specific Approach to Sexuality & Disability in Pediatrics (Part II)
Monday, April 20, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
Family Centered Care: One Organization’s Revolutionary Approach to Include Families in all Aspects of Care
Thursday, May 14, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT
Palliative Care Through the Rehab Continuum: Caring for Children with Complex Needs
Monday, June 1, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT
A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Continence Management and Self-Cathing
Wednesday, July 15, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT
Treatment of Brachial Plexus Injury
Thursday, September 3, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EDT
Crossing the Bridge from Clinician to Clinical Leader: How to Develop and Promote Leadership Skills in Clinical Staff
Friday, October 23, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
The Role of the Pediatric Rehab Professional in Promoting Healthy Weight Management
Monday, November 16, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST
A Deeper Dive into Disorders of Consciousness – Practical Assessment and Treatment Strategies for Pediatric Patients
Tuesday, December 1, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm EST
Animal-Assisted Therapy Across the Rehab Continuum
Do you have a great topic or know a fantastic presenter? We’d love to hear about it. Please reach out to Cindi Hobbes, IPRC Director.
Change Announced for October 1, 2025 LTSS Subcommittee Meeting
Due to budget constraints, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has announced a change to the upcoming Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting. The next LTSS Subcommittee meeting on Wednesday, October 1, will be held as a webinar with remote streaming only, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. To register for the webinar, please use this webinar registration link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Service Coordinators Needed: Apply for OLTL Advisory and Grievance Committee
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) Advisory and Grievance Committee is currently accepting applications, and they need representation from Service Coordinators (SCs). While OLTL has received applications from other stakeholder groups, no applications have been submitted by SCs, who have a perspective essential to the committee.
The committee will meet virtually every quarter to:
- Discuss self-direction and Public Partnerships (PPL) services under the OBRA waiver and Act 150 program;
- Evaluate program grievances; and
- Share and review feedback from participants, common law employers, and direct care workers.
Committee membership is designed to reflect a diverse group of Pennsylvanians. Having SCs on the committee is critical to ensuring well-rounded discussion and decision-making. Applications are due by September 19, 2025. If you applied before July 20, 2025, please submit a new application, as previous applications were not received due to a technical issue.
If you have questions or need assistance completing the form, please contact PPL at 877-908-1750. Thank you for considering this opportunity to share your expertise and ensure that SCs’ voices are represented.
Presentations From Sept 3 LTSS Subcommittee Meeting; Oct Meeting Registration
The Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Subcommittee meeting was recently held on September 3, 2025. During the meeting, a number of presentations were given. In addition to the presentations, the agenda and a document that provided follow-up items from the August 6, 2025, LTSS Subcommittee meeting were provided.
Members should take time to review the PowerPoint presentation from the meeting below:
The next LTSS Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 1, 2025. The meeting will be held from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm in the Forest Room at the Commonwealth Keystone Building, which is located at 400 North Street in Harrisburg, PA.
The option to participate virtually is also available. If attending virtually, please register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The option to call in is also available by dialing 562-247-8321; Access code: 930-608-721#.
Remote captioning and streaming services will be provided: Remote Captioning and Streaming Link.
Reminder for 2025/26 Pennsylvania State Budget Impasse Survey Due Sept. 15
REMINDER — PLEASE DISREGARD IF YOU HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THIS SURVEY
Pennsylvania’s General Assembly has not yet passed the budget for FY 2025/26, and we are already two months into this fiscal cycle. This delay is creating another crisis while communities grapple with the longer-term implications of the recently passed HR 1 Tax Reconciliation Bill at the federal level. We want to hear from you via this 2025 Budget Impasse Survey so that we can raise a collective nonprofit clamor about the impact this delay has on real people in every neighborhood and community in the Commonwealth.
We know — our organizations are over-surveyed during times of urgency!
So, to eliminate duplicative work, various associations and networks, including RCPA, have come together to collect data regarding both the current and projected impact on both for-profit and nonprofit financials, staffing, and ultimately those served. We will share information with everyone involved so that the survey results can be analyzed and disseminated to the media and legislative contacts most efficiently. Below are the organizations that are coming together to collect this data in order to show you the importance of this information.
For more details about the length of the survey and those best suited to complete it, please see this PDF version so you can prepare. The initial survey deadline is 11:59 pm on Monday, September 15, 2025. For questions about the survey, please email Anne Gingerich, Executive Director, PANO.
RCPA Thanks Our Sponsors and Exhibitors for Their Support of Strive to Thrive!
Inside Aging September 2025 Newsletter Now Available
OMAP Issues New EVV Bulletin, Affecting OLTL and ODP Services
The PA Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP) issued a new Bulletin that applies to personal assistance and community habilitation services under the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) and the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP). The key changes from earlier guidance include:
- Providers 85% Compliance Requirement Effective January 1, 2025: Providers must ensure at least 85% of EVV records are verified without manual edits.
- Starting January 2026, DHS will issue alerts to fee-for-service providers whose manual edits exceed 15% in the prior quarter. Managed care organizations (MCO) will also receive lists of noncompliant providers for follow-up.
- Providers failing to meet the 85% thresholds for two consecutive quarters will be required to submit corrective action plans. Continued noncompliance may lead to sanctions, potentially including loss of license.
- FMS and Participant-Directed Models are also responsible for EVV compliance. Persistent noncompliance can result in termination from participant-directed service models.
- Additional Resources: DHS EVV Guidance and Handbook now available.
- Compliance Reports are available on the Sandata platform. The reports allow providers to identify the non-compliant visit dates, participants, and caregivers to initiate internal corrective action.
If you have any questions, contact Fady Sahhar.
Reminder for “The Intensive Model of Therapy” IPRC Webinar on September 4
The Intensive Model of Therapy for Children With Neurological or Movement Disorders
Thursday, September 4, 2025
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm CDT;
10:00 am – 11:00 am MDT; 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT
Register Here
Presenter Bio: Amy O’Donnell
Amy O’Donnell is a pediatric physical therapist at The Children’s Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Washington & Jefferson College and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Pittsburgh. Amy joined The Children’s Institute in 2012 and has since specialized in pediatric physical therapy care.
Her first exposure to the intensive therapy model came during her student training, and she became actively involved in the program following its expansion to her clinic location in 2014. In 2019, she was named the program coordinator. Amy has co-authored both qualitative and quantitative research articles on the Intensity Program at The Children’s Institute, with both publications appearing in Pediatric Physical Therapy journal.
Objectives: Following this course, the learner will:
- Define and discuss benefits of episodic care and family centered care;
- Define and discuss benefits of intensive therapy model; and
- Discuss different types of intensive therapy models and strategies to implement into your clinic.
Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team.
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are provided for this course.
Complimentary webinars are a benefit of membership in IPRC/RCPA. Registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today.
Prev