On Friday April 5, 2013, PTAG and the Georgia Therapy Trialliance held a meeting with representatives from WellCare Health Plans, Inc. and Health Network One (HN1) to discuss the proposed transition of therapy services to Wellcare’s new subcontractor HN1.

The Physical Therapy Association of Georgia (PTAG) and Georgia Therapy Tri-Alliance are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with Peach State Health Plans, LLC to help smooth the transition from Therapy Review Systems (TRS) to Peach State. The structure of this agreement reflects the result of hard negotiation on behalf of our membership and addresses many points brought forward by our members.

BACKGROUND:
In 2008, the Georgia Composite Medical Board (GCMB)  re-wrote their practice act with the intent of "cleaning up"  outdated language. The Acupuncture Board falls under the GCMB and made modifications to their practice act as well. In 2009, in response to the Acupuncture Board inserting the words “dry needling is a technique of the practice of acupuncture," several physical therapists were investigated for practicing acupuncture as a result of performing dry needling. Dry needling has been part of the research agenda of Georgia State University, Mercer University and North Georgia College and University physical therapy programs and many physical therapists in Georgia have incorporated the technique in to their practice.  In July 2010, the GCMB met with the Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy (GSBPT).. At that meeting, the GCMB and the GSBPT determined that there was a problem with the dry needling language and asked to work together for a solution. In December of 2010, a meeting was held with Georgia Representative Edward Lindsey (republican whip) and the issue was explained to him. He set up a meeting with Representative Sharon Cooper, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee (who was the chief sponsor of the re-write of the Medical Practice Act). At that meeting, Representative Cooper reported that there was no intent with the change in the medical practice act to in any way impact or impede the practice of physical therapy. Evidence supporting the use of dry needling by physical therapists was presented and she and Representative Lindsey agreed to come up with a remedy to this problem.