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Medical Rehab

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Tuesday, January 6, 2026
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET; 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CT;
11:00 am – 12:00 pm MT; 10:00 am – 11:00 am PT
Register Here

Please join us as the IPRC hosts special guest Terry Carolan from CARF International, who will share the new Disorders of Consciousness Program Standards.

Presenter Bio:

Terrence Carolan
Terrence Carolan, Managing Director of the Medical Rehabilitation and Aging Services accreditation areas at the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), has more than 20 years of experience as a provider, administrator, and educator in the human services field. Terry joined CARF after working in clinical and administrative leadership positions within Select Medical’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Division and the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation since 2001. Terry was a CARF surveyor for 10 years and holds a degree in physical therapy from Simmons College in Boston. He also recently completed his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner will:

  • Describe recent research and guidance on the treatment of individuals with Disorders of Consciousness (DoC);
  • Discuss how CARF International has responded to guidance from the field to create Disorders of Consciousness Program Standards; and
  • Analyze how new DoC accreditation and recent research will enhance access to rehabilitation for children with DoC in the future.

Audience: This webinar is intended for all interested members of the rehabilitation team; attendees do not need to be CARF certified in order to attend.

Level: Beginner-Intermediate

Certificate of Attendance: Certificates of attendance are available for all attendees. No CEs are available for this course.

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At the December 4, 2025, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) annual session on payment adequacy for Medicare providers, draft fiscal year (FY) 2027 payment recommendations were issued. The recommendations, “Assessing Payment Adequacy and Updating Payments: Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Services,” were shared. Included in their presentation were their findings on admissions, financial performance by IRF provider type, quality metrics, and other relevant data points. In addition to the payment-focused sessions, the meeting included a general session on post-acute care trends and “key issues,” which compared various patient- and payment-focused data across IRFs, skilled nursing facilities (SNF), and home health agencies (HHA).

During the IRF payment session, MedPAC advanced a draft recommendation calling for Congress to reduce the 2026 Medicare base payment rate for IRFs by 7 percent in FY 2027. This draft recommendation is identical to last year’s recommendation and marks an increase over the FY 2025 recommendation (a 5% cut to the Medicare base payment rate) and the FY 2024 finalized recommendation (3% cut).

MedPAC’s recommendations are advisory in nature, and most of MedPAC’s work can only be implemented via Congressional action. RCPA will monitor the status of these recommendations through close collaboration with the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA).

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RCPA is excited to host a membership benefits webinar on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 1:00 pm, as an opportunity for members to orient themselves with all that RCPA membership includes. This is not just for new and future members. For current members, there may be benefits associated with our membership that you may not be aware of, including targeted meetings and groups that are held throughout the year.

Registration is required; please register here to attend the webinar. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • Virtually meet the dedicated RCPA Policy Staff and RCPA lobbyists;
  • Discuss the 2026 Legislative and Administrative priorities;
  • Preview RCPA divisional committee and subcommittee meetings and what they offer;
  • View the RCPA member-only website;
  • Review exclusive yearly educational and networking events; and
  • Understand the value of the National Council and ANCOR memberships included with RCPA membership.

Visit the RCPA member benefits web page for more information, or contact Tieanna Lloyd for benefit details.

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Legislation. Wooden gavel and books in background. Law and justice concept

Representative John Schlegel has introduced a co-sponsorship memo regarding House Bill 2070, Clarifying Dry Needling as an Acceptable Practice within Physical Therapy (PT).

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) recognizes dry needling as being within the physical therapist scope of practice. However, Pennsylvania’s Physical Therapy Practice Act (Act 110 of 1975) does not explicitly allow or deny the performance of this type of therapy. This creates a legal gray area and causes uncertainty among licensed physical therapists. Due to the current law’s silence on this treatment technique, legislative clarification is needed.

Dry needling (sometimes referred to as “trigger point dry needling” or “intramuscular manual therapy”) is a treatment method used to relieve muscle pain and stiffness and to improve range of motion. It is important to note that dry needling and acupuncture are not the same, though both are considered needle-based therapies. These procedures have different medical origins, needle placement and application techniques, and serve different purposes.

HB 2070 clarifies that licensed physical therapists may perform dry needling therapy given certain education and training requirements are met and will further specify that dry needling does not include the practice of acupuncture.

A majority of states acknowledge that dry needling is within the scope of practice for physical therapists, including our neighboring states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, and West Virginia.

The bill was referred to the House professional licensure committee on December 3, 2025.

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The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared this important announcement from the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA is aware that Abbott Diabetes Care has sent all affected customers, distributors, and health care providers a letter regarding an issue with certain FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors providing incorrect low glucose readings. If undetected, incorrect low glucose readings over an extended period may lead to wrong treatment decisions for people living with diabetes, such as excessive carbohydrate intake or skipping or delaying insulin doses. These decisions may pose serious health risks, including potential injury or death, or other less serious complications.

As of November 14, 2025, Abbott has reported 736 serious injuries and seven deaths associated with this issue.

Affected Product

  • FreeStyle Libre 3 Sensor
    • Model Numbers: 72081-01, 72080-01
    • Unique Device Identifiers (UDI-DI): 00357599818005, 00357599819002
  • FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus Sensor
    • Model Numbers: 78768-01, 78769-01
    • Unique Device Identifiers (UDI-DI): 00357599844011, 00357599843014
  • Download the full list of affected lots

What to Do:

Patients should verify if their sensors are impacted and immediately discontinue use and dispose of the affected sensor(s).

On November 24, 2025, Abbott Diabetes Care sent all affected customers a letter recommending the following actions:

  • For Patients:
    • Determine if your current or unused sensor(s) are affected by visiting FreeStyle Check and selecting “CONFIRM SENSOR SERIAL NUMBER.” You will need to locate your sensor serial number to determine if your sensor is affected.
      • If you are wearing a FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensor, you can find the serial number in the app or reader. The serial number can also be found on the label on the bottom of the sensor applicator or carton. (If you are using a sensor with a connected insulin delivery device, please refer to the connected insulin delivery device user manual on how to locate the sensor serial number.)
    • If you are currently wearing or have a FreeStyle Libre 3 or FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensor that has been confirmed as potentially affected on FreeStyle Check or by a customer service representative, immediately discontinue use and dispose of the affected sensor(s).
    • You can request a replacement for any potentially affected sensor(s) on FreeStyle Check. Select “CONFIRM SENSOR SERIAL NUMBER” and enter a valid serial number. If your sensor is potentially impacted, you will be instructed to enter your contact information so a replacement product can be sent to you at no cost.
    • Use a blood glucose meter or the built-in meter in your FreeStyle Libre 3 Reader to make treatment decisions when your sensor readings don’t match your symptoms or expectations.

Visit the FDA’s website for additional information and instructions on how to locate the Sensor’s Serial Number.

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Healing Hands — A Collaborative Approach to Treating Pediatric Hand Burns
Monday, December 8, 2025 
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST; 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST;
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm MST; 11:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
Register HerePresenter Bios:

Hannah Gift, OTR/L, CHT, COMT UE, CEAS
Hannah Gift is an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Her primary role is providing upper extremity rehabilitation for pediatric patients with acquired, traumatic, and congenital conditions; she also serves on a team specializing in complex pain and neurological disorders. Hannah previously served on the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) board of directors in roles including Education Division Director and Board Member at Large, and she has taught live and virtual education courses for Select Medical, ASHT, and other local and national organizations.

Jennifer Seigel, RN, CPNP, CWCN
Jennifer Seigel is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at WashU at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. She works in the Pediatric Surgery Department and has specialized in burn recovery and wound care for 25 years. St. Louis Children’s Hospital is a level 1 trauma hospital and sees several hundred burn patients per year through both their inpatient and outpatient departments. Jennifer has authored textbook chapters on burn care and often lectures on the topic. She enjoys caring for children and their families in the St. Louis Children’s Hospital burn wound unit called PAWS: Pediatric Acute Wound Service.

Objectives: Following this course, the learner will:

  • Describe 2 common mechanisms of pediatric hand burns and their implications for wound depth and tissue involvement;
  • Differentiate between the grades of burn injury to guide appropriate medical and rehabilitation interventions;
  • Identify the correct position of an orthosis based on the location of the hand burn; and
  • Discuss the purpose of pressure garments and other scar management techniques in improving functional outcomes for pediatric patients.

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. The registration fee for non-members is $179. Not a member yet? Consider joining today.

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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the calendar year (CY) 2026 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) final payment system rule. The final rule not only includes policies and payment rates for CY 2026 but also updates CMS’ existing Hospital Price Transparency requirements. Hospitals and ASCs that meet their quality reporting requirements will see a 2.6% increase in their OPPS rates. CMS also finalized proposals to eliminate the Inpatient Only list over a three-year period, beginning with the removal of nearly 300 musculoskeletal procedures from the list in CY 2026.

For additional information, members are encouraged to review CMS’ press release on the rule as well as the fact sheet.

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Message from PA DHS:

Under new federal rules, to keep or become eligible for SNAP benefits, some recipients will have to meet work requirements that include working, volunteering, or participating in an education or training program for at least 20 hours a week (or 80 hours each month) AND report that they are meeting these work requirements.

To help SNAP recipients and applicants find out if they need to meet this requirement, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) has launched a new online screening tool.

By answering a simple set of yes or no questions, SNAP applicants and recipients can find out if they need to meet the work requirements, if they are already meeting the work requirements, or if they are eligible for an exemption.

The screening tool is not a final determination of whether someone is meeting the work requirements or is eligible for an exemption, but it can help recipients and applicants have a more informed conversation with their caseworker.

The new work requirements will apply to Pennsylvanians who:

  • Are between 18-64 years old;
  • Do not have a dependent child under 14 years old; and
  • Are considered physically and mentally able to work.

In addition, being a veteran or a current or former foster youth age 18–24 will no longer be an exemption.

Some people may still be exempt from work and reporting requirements if they meet a different exemption. You can learn more about these work reporting requirements, who they affect, and more about exemptions at DHS’s website.

State Budget Investments Help Fight Food Insecurity

Pennsylvania’s charitable food network and our agricultural community are vital to keeping our neighbors and communities fed. Governor Shapiro’s 2025/26 budget delivers major investments to combat hunger, strengthen the charitable food network, and support Pennsylvania farmers. The budget includes a historic $11 million increase for food security, including:

  • $3 million for the State Food Purchase Program and $1 million for the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS);
  • $2 million for a new state Food Bucks program to supplement SNAP; and
  • $5 million in new funding to Pennsylvania food banks.

Help Us Spread the Word

PA DHS has developed a communications toolkit to help Pennsylvanians understand the changes happening to SNAP.

We ask RCPA members, advocates, and stakeholders to view and share the toolkit, which includes sample text, social media posts, and more.

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Businessman and team work using a Laptop Computer with Webinar E-business Browsing Connection and cloud online technology webcast concept, business concept

From Chaos to Clarity: How Human Service Leaders Bring Order to Oversight
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
12:00 pm ET
Register Here

Keeping up with inspections and licensing requirements can feel like an endless chase — especially when each site or program has its own system. Many organizations are finding new ways to bring structure, visibility, and calm to these responsibilities, even with limited resources.

Join us on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 12:00 pm ET for From Chaos to Clarity: How Human Service Leaders Bring Order to Oversight, a live webinar co-hosted by RCPA and PUPS Software. This session brings together leaders for an open, practical conversation about streamlining inspections, licensing, and operational readiness.

Featured Panelists:

  • Jim Sharp, Chief Operating Officer & Director of Mental Health Services, RCPA
  • Savannah David, Service Director – ID/A NE Region, Step By Step, Inc.
  • Morgan Gerety, Director of Maintenance, Caring, Inc.

We’ll talk about:

  • Practical steps to bring consistency and visibility to inspections and licensing;
  • How to move from paper and spreadsheets to digital processes without overwhelming your team;
  • Real examples of accountability and readiness in action; and
  • Lessons learned from organizations that replaced annual scrambles with steady progress.

Whether your team is just getting started or already modernizing oversight, you will walk away with useful ideas, peer insights, and tools to support your next steps.

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