Article By Tia Mitchell, Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
“Joe Negron, R-Stuart, who sponsored the legislation, said reducing PIP fraud was his primary goal, but he also did not want to penalize people who file legitimate claims and receive treatment from reputable healthcare professionals.”
Our profession takes offense to this remark. This bill DOES penalize people who file legitimate claims by denying soft tissue manipulation, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, mechanical or electrical devices when used by or prescribed as medically necessary by ethical treating physicians! It DOES penalize reputable licensed health care professionals when it excludes the above services because soft tissue manipulation is mainly performed by specifically trained licensed massage therapists.
Just as important, the article says that “Senator Negron does not want to penalize people who receive treatment from reputable health care practitioners”. In my opinion this is slanderous, and is a blatant defamation of character. FL Licensed Massage Therapists are the only health care practitioners who specifically and intensely trained in soft tissue manipulation and are under FS Chapter 456.001(4), Dept of Health, Medical Quality Assurance. FL Licensed Massage Therapists have been licensed since 1943, long before even Physical Therapists who were licensed in FL in 1951.
Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, said the plan received bipartisan support in the Senate committee because it reflects a series of compromises that appeases all sides while leaving them wanting more.
This statement is also disturbing in that our profession was represented by our professional association lobbyist who had also offered to negotiate compromises but the suggestion, request was evidently ignored.
Contact me for SOLUTION SUGGESTIONS: vivianmadison@aol.com
Vivian M. Mahoney, LMT, Insurance Consultant
I agree with Mrs. Vivian Mahoney LMT! She is a great leader in our profession. Below is a letter I sent to our Senators
Laurie K. Bailey, L.M.T. January 25, 2012
Addressed to all elected Senators of the State of Florida:
I would like to introduce myself and my background so that you may understand why I am writing to you about SB 1860. I have been in the Medical Profession for over 30 years. I am a retired Practical Nurse and a practicing Licensed Massage Therapist. I have been a Licensed Massage Therapist for almost 8 years and for the majority of that time I have treated Auto Accident victims. From what I have read about SB 1860 I find it to be discriminating, unconstitutional and those that have proposed it uninformed and uneducated about what occurs after an Auto Accident. It also makes me wonder whose well being is actually being considered. The policy holder or the Insurance companies? Being elected by the people is a privilege and a Civil Servant position. This means serving the people not the corporations.
Discriminating due to the usual fact that all are punished due to a few rotten apples, so the legitimate providers will lose income and businesses will suffer and probably go under.
Unconstitutional due to the fact that this is still a free country and we as citizens have the right and the freedom to choose who we seek care from, when and what care we receive or do not receive. We have the right to deny or accept treatment in any form. Physicians and healthcare providers are also given the right to refuse or treat a patient. Also Physicians are fired all the time. They are just not aware because the patient just decides not to return to them because they are not satisfied and seek care elsewhere.
Uneducated and misinformed due to the fact that you are not aware of what takes place after an auto accident unless you have been a victim yourself. Every individual is different. Most patients that I have treated do not go to the hospital ER unless it is a major auto accident. Many do not feel symptoms until a day or days after their accident while some experience it directly afterwards (hence your 72 hour deadline). Most patients who do go to the hospital ER are given pain medication, maybe an X-Ray or scan and then are told to find a physician to see and follow up with. This ER visit will indeed use up a great deal of their benefits for treatment with little left for further therapy.
With my experience I have seen it take up to anywhere from 3 to 4 months for a patient to feel “Normal” again. I’ve seen Massage Therapy perform some amazing things for people. I’ve had patients tell me that without Massage Therapy they don’t know how they would have recovered. The patients credit Massage Therapy more to their recovery than other therapies that they receive regarding their treatment and outcome.
The people of Florida should have a choice as to what care will work for them. I am sure there are other ways to deal with the fraud happening in this state without punishing reputable, professional providers. I’m all for closing down the “Pain Clinics” because they are creating drug addicts and making large amounts of money from the Pharmaceutical companies. It would not surprise me how much of the medications are being sold on the streets for personal gain.
You are educated people and I am sure that you can find another avenue to cure our issues with the fraud taking place in this state. These as desperate times and people are becoming very creative in learning how to survive, feed their families and pay their bills.
As politicians you claim to want to create jobs. I am against SB 1860 due to the fact that it will eliminate jobs and not just a few. Massage Therapy WORKS!!! Also I feel that those who provide good, reliable, legitimate and professional care should not be on the chopping block along with those who take advantage of the “system”. Put your heads together and come up with something that works rather than something that won’t.
By the way, all of the cuts in Government agencies and Law Enforcement which is a staple to a civilized society has not helped one little bit. You have cut the things the people need the most, Protection, Education and our Government agencies has contributed to our situation.
Before you vote on Bill SB 1860 may I suggest you experience a Massage if you have not yet done so in your lifetime. It could make a difference in your life as well.
Article By Tia Mitchell, Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
“Joe Negron, R-Stuart, who sponsored the legislation, said reducing PIP fraud was his primary goal, but he also did not want to penalize people who file legitimate claims and receive treatment from reputable healthcare professionals.”
Our profession takes offense to this remark. This bill DOES penalize people who file legitimate claims by denying soft tissue manipulation, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, mechanical or electrical devices when used by or prescribed as medically necessary by ethical treating physicians! It DOES penalize reputable licensed health care professionals when it excludes the above services because soft tissue manipulation is mainly performed by specifically trained licensed massage therapists.
Just as important, the article says that “Senator Negron does not want to penalize people who receive treatment from reputable health care practitioners”. In my opinion this is slanderous, and is a blatant defamation of character. FL Licensed Massage Therapists are the only health care practitioners who specifically and intensely trained in soft tissue manipulation and are under FS Chapter 456.001(4), Dept of Health, Medical Quality Assurance. FL Licensed Massage Therapists have been licensed since 1943, long before even Physical Therapists who were licensed in FL in 1951.
Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, said the plan received bipartisan support in the Senate committee because it reflects a series of compromises that appeases all sides while leaving them wanting more.
This statement is also disturbing in that our profession was represented by our professional association lobbyist who had also offered to negotiate compromises but the suggestion, request was evidently ignored.
Contact me for SOLUTION SUGGESTIONS: vivianmadison@aol.com
Vivian M. Mahoney, LMT, Insurance Consultant
I agree with Mrs. Vivian Mahoney LMT! She is a great leader in our profession. Below is a letter I sent to our Senators
Laurie K. Bailey, L.M.T. January 25, 2012
Addressed to all elected Senators of the State of Florida:
I would like to introduce myself and my background so that you may understand why I am writing to you about SB 1860. I have been in the Medical Profession for over 30 years. I am a retired Practical Nurse and a practicing Licensed Massage Therapist. I have been a Licensed Massage Therapist for almost 8 years and for the majority of that time I have treated Auto Accident victims. From what I have read about SB 1860 I find it to be discriminating, unconstitutional and those that have proposed it uninformed and uneducated about what occurs after an Auto Accident. It also makes me wonder whose well being is actually being considered. The policy holder or the Insurance companies? Being elected by the people is a privilege and a Civil Servant position. This means serving the people not the corporations.
Discriminating due to the usual fact that all are punished due to a few rotten apples, so the legitimate providers will lose income and businesses will suffer and probably go under.
Unconstitutional due to the fact that this is still a free country and we as citizens have the right and the freedom to choose who we seek care from, when and what care we receive or do not receive. We have the right to deny or accept treatment in any form. Physicians and healthcare providers are also given the right to refuse or treat a patient. Also Physicians are fired all the time. They are just not aware because the patient just decides not to return to them because they are not satisfied and seek care elsewhere.
Uneducated and misinformed due to the fact that you are not aware of what takes place after an auto accident unless you have been a victim yourself. Every individual is different. Most patients that I have treated do not go to the hospital ER unless it is a major auto accident. Many do not feel symptoms until a day or days after their accident while some experience it directly afterwards (hence your 72 hour deadline). Most patients who do go to the hospital ER are given pain medication, maybe an X-Ray or scan and then are told to find a physician to see and follow up with. This ER visit will indeed use up a great deal of their benefits for treatment with little left for further therapy.
With my experience I have seen it take up to anywhere from 3 to 4 months for a patient to feel “Normal” again. I’ve seen Massage Therapy perform some amazing things for people. I’ve had patients tell me that without Massage Therapy they don’t know how they would have recovered. The patients credit Massage Therapy more to their recovery than other therapies that they receive regarding their treatment and outcome.
The people of Florida should have a choice as to what care will work for them. I am sure there are other ways to deal with the fraud happening in this state without punishing reputable, professional providers. I’m all for closing down the “Pain Clinics” because they are creating drug addicts and making large amounts of money from the Pharmaceutical companies. It would not surprise me how much of the medications are being sold on the streets for personal gain.
You are educated people and I am sure that you can find another avenue to cure our issues with the fraud taking place in this state. These as desperate times and people are becoming very creative in learning how to survive, feed their families and pay their bills.
As politicians you claim to want to create jobs. I am against SB 1860 due to the fact that it will eliminate jobs and not just a few. Massage Therapy WORKS!!! Also I feel that those who provide good, reliable, legitimate and professional care should not be on the chopping block along with those who take advantage of the “system”. Put your heads together and come up with something that works rather than something that won’t.
By the way, all of the cuts in Government agencies and Law Enforcement which is a staple to a civilized society has not helped one little bit. You have cut the things the people need the most, Protection, Education and our Government agencies has contributed to our situation.
Before you vote on Bill SB 1860 may I suggest you experience a Massage if you have not yet done so in your lifetime. It could make a difference in your life as well.
Cordially,
Laurie K. Bailey, L.M.T.