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The Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (SUNA) continues to be active in addressing issues of continence care. A successful Fourth Multi-Specialty Nursing Conference on Urinary Continence was held in January 1998 in Orlando, Florida. Three hundred and sixty-six participants were in attendance. The Continence Coalition, a joint effort between SUNA and the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) has made great strides over the last year. A position statement developed by the Coalition entitled "Coverage for Pelvic Floor Biofeedback Therapy" was endorsed by the respective Coalition associations as well as the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses. This position statement was presented March 1998 in Washington, DC, before the Medical Director of the Health Care Financing Agency (HCFA). This critical meeting yielded vital information directing the Coalition's efforts in protecting biofeedback reimbursement. Establishment of legislative contacts for the purpose of disseminating the position statement to members of Congress is now actively being pursued. |
On another front, the Coalition has responded to a request from the rehabilitation physicians to aid in a formal response to HCFA regarding EMG in the Stark II legislation. EMG has been interpreted here as a Physical Therapy (PT) code. This would make EMG codes not billable by many Continence Centers including Urodynamics or EMG biofeedback. A letter by the Coalition has been drafted to inform HCFA that this code is important to urology practices and should not be defined as a PT code.