Legislative Alert: Immediate Action Needed

[Guest guest]

Immediate Action Needed

It is time to put our mouth where our money is. ACTION

Time!

The House of Representatives passed HR 3736 yesterday, which would

increase the number of temporary, non-immigrant visas available to

foreign workers from 65,000 to 115,000 annually.

We all need to advocate its position against this bill. The Senate now

must pass this bill before it can be signed into law by President

Clinton. The vote could come at any time, so immediate action is needed.

Contact both senators from your state to urge a A NO vote on S1723. Also,

contact the White House at 202/456-6493 to express frustration with this

bill.

Source: APTA press release.

R. Kovacek, MSA, PT

KovacekManagementServices, Inc.

The FOCUS Group, Inc.

20225 Danbury Lane

Harper Woods, MI 48225

Fax

Email Pkovacek@...

<http://www.theFOCUSgroup.net>

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TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE !

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/2/98 11:23:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

pkovacek@... writes:

<<

Immediate Action Needed

It is time to put our mouth where our money is. & nbsp; ACTIONTime!

The House of Representatives passed HR 3736 yesterday, which would

increase the number of temporary, non-immigrant visas available to

foreign workers from 65,000 to 115,000 annually.

We all need to advocate its position against this bill. The Senate now must

pass this bill before it can be signed into law by President Clinton. The vote

could come at any time, so immediate action is needed.

Contact both senators from your state to urge a A NO vote on S1723. Also,

contact the White House at 202/456-6493 to express frustration with thisbill.

Source: APTA press release.

>>

Exactly, why do you want a NO vote on this bill?

Endor

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[Guest guest]

Why are you against this bill?

Endor PT

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[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/3/98 1:33:52 PM Central Daylight Time, EndorPT@...

writes:

<< Why are you against this bill?

Endor PT

>>

While I can't speak for K. (I believe he was the author of the first

message), I believe that all therapist's are against it because of the current

reimbursement changes. Economics 101 tells us that when the supply of

anything outweighs the demand for the good or service, then the price of the

good or service declines. Right now the changes in therapy reimbursement have

lead to some pretty heavy cutbacks in terms of therapy employees. This has

created an increase in the number of available therapists. Thus driving the

wages for therapists downward. This piece of legislation will only increase

the number of potential therapists in the marketplace (i.e., making an even

greater number of therapists looking for work in a marketplace with fewer

jobs). So if you are a therapist, you would want to limit the number of

potential people coming into the marketplace. If this is not a correct

analysis, someone please correct me.

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[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/3/1998 10:48:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

JHall49629@... writes:

<<

<< Why are you against this bill?

Endor PT

>>

While I can't speak for K. (I believe he was the author of the first

message), I believe that all therapist's are against it because of the

current

reimbursement changes. Economics 101 tells us that when the supply of

anything outweighs the demand for the good or service, then the price of the

good or service declines. Right now the changes in therapy reimbursement

have

lead to some pretty heavy cutbacks in terms of therapy employees. This has

created an increase in the number of available therapists. Thus driving the

wages for therapists downward. This piece of legislation will only increase

the number of potential therapists in the marketplace (i.e., making an even

greater number of therapists looking for work in a marketplace with fewer

jobs). So if you are a therapist, you would want to limit the number of

potential people coming into the marketplace. If this is not a correct

analysis, someone please correct me.

>>

The original posting was from APTA - I only reposted it. can not speak for

APTA - I can only speak for myself. Personally, I AM concerned about the

recent - sometimes dramatic - shift in supply vs demand. I personally have

seen some of the impact of the Vector report and it is not pretty. I do not

feel that this is only good for the physical therapist - I think that it is

also good for our patients in the long run.

I am currently seeing salaries and other components of PT employment packages

sliding down ward. I think that this will eventually cause a dimunition of

the quality of students that we attract and therefore a less competent PT in

the future.

The other issue is that PT simply is not a special need profession as it once

was - regarding inadequate supply. The bill that is being discussed is

intended to relieve shortage situations in certain professions. PT should no

longer be included in this list.

I hope this clarifies my personal opinion. Any other thought from the list?

Kovacek

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[Guest guest]

Regarding the bill as well,

While I have no issue with foreign PT's practicing in the United States per

say, I do not believe they should use a loop hole in the immigration laws to

allow them to settle in the United States. That is what this bill allows, By

allowing people to come into a situation where there previously was a

shortage, but no more, foreign PTs are taking the place of Americans.

As I said, I welcome all foreigners and believe they should go through

standard immigration practice, not using an outdated H1B visa to settle in

this country. It is not reflective of the PT environment at this time with

the increase in educational institutions/student population/decrease in

staffing ratios.

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[Guest guest]

I have personal experience from the supply and demand aspect of this

profession. I was living in SoFla. Was laid off from a rehab company and had

to move to the NE to gain full time employment with benefits. I had worked 3

per diem jobs just to make ends meet. There were and are no PT jobs in So

Fla. The jobs I did apply and interview for, did not want someone with more

than 5 years of experience. ( I have been a PT for 21 yrs.) There are a lot of

PT and PTA schools in the So Fla area and lots of new grads to be had. It did

not matter that I would accept any salary offered. In fact I did not even

answer the salary request on any of the job applications. And contrary to the

post from another therapist about, all the job offers she is still receiving

and only the best will survive- I AM a good therapist, I am ethical, and I am

conscientious-my patients always come first! The big companies do not want to

pay for experience or knowledge, or even benefits so wake up.

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[Guest guest]

-Reply

You stated " The other issue is that PT simply is not a

special need profession as it once was - regarding

inadequate supply. The bill that is being discussed is

intended to relieve shortage situations in certain

professions. PT should no longer be included in this list. "

This I recall is the major reason why APTA and the

Federation of State Boards of Licensure are supporting this

elimination of favored status for H1B visas. The normal

immigration process should be adequate.

Also being lobbied for by APTA & FSBPT is a credentialing

process which would assure equal competancies for

internationally educated therapists entering the US,

including language proficiency. This would hopefully lift the

current passage rate on the licensure exam , which is

significantly lower for IEPTs than US educated.

W. , PT, MS

Treasurer, American Physical Therapy Association

dperry@...

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