3.       Health Care News Bytes

In July, the Federal State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) announced that graduates of physical therapy programs in Egypt, India, Pakistan and the Philippines will no longer be allowed to take the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) due to security breaches.  These breaches include sharing and distribution of recalled questions by graduates of programs in these countries, as well as by several exam preparation companies in these countries.

The FSBT is currently in the process of developing a new exam for graduates of physical therapy programs in these countries.  The new exam, known as the NPTE-YRLY will be offered only once a year, as opposed to the NPTE.  The FSBT plans to have the new test ready by the fall of 2011, but advises those who will need to take the test to check their website for updates at https://www.fsbpt.org/NewsAndEvents/SecurityBreach20100712/.

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On March 5, 2010, the US Department of Labor published a final rule governing  the H-1C program as of April 5, 2010.  On December 21, 2009 the H-1C nonimmigrant visa category expired.  However, there are nurses who will be in H-1C status even after the December 21^st date and this rule contains provisions relating to their employment.

The H-1C visa allows up to 500 nurses per year to work in eligible health care facilities.  The program was authorized by Congress in 1999 and expired in 2005.  In December 2006, Congress reauthorized the program for 3 more years. As of publication, the program still had not been extended.

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The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported that enrollment in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs increased for the ninth straight year in 2009.  However, approximately 39,423 qualified applications were turned away due to lack of faculty and resources at nursing programs.  The association also found that enrollment in master's programs rose by 9.6% and doctoral programs rose by 20.5%.

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The New York Times reported that the president of New York City's Health and Hospitals Corporation, the city’s public hospital system, is in support of providing coverage for uninsured immigrants.  He encouraged the Senate and House to include language in their respective bills that would lift the five-year ban on federal health benefits for legal immigrants.  He also asked the Senate to allow illegal immigrants to buy insurance policies.

Under both the Senate and House health care bills, federal payments to hospitals that handle large numbers of uninsured patients would decrease as more Americans obtained insurance coverage. Both bills would also make insurance mandatory for most people, and the government would subsidize the cost of insurance for those with low incomes. However, illegal immigrants would not be eligible for these subsidies.  The House bill would allow illegal immigrants to buy insurance policies, but the Senate’s version of the bill would not allow them to buy these policies.

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Diversity in the health care workforce is growing as the percentage of minorities in the US population increases from 30% in 2010 to nearly 50% by 2050.  Because of this, hospital administrators are now faced with the task of recruiting medical personnel who are not only qualified in their fields, but also understand cultural differences and can speak a foreign language.  Currently, there are approximately 25 million people in the United States who have significantly limited or no ability to speak English.

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In April 2009, sponsors of the USMLE program agreed to waive their fees for eligibility period extensions in response to the swine flu epidemic. This temporary fee waiver was intended to give examinees flexibility in scheduling their USMLE exams during the influenza outbreak.

Because swine flu outbreaks have decreased around the world, applications for eligibility period extensions received after May 31, 2010 will require payment of the extension fee. Additionally, examinees will again be subject to the eligibility period extension restrictions in place prior to April 2009, which means examinees will be permitted only one, three-month eligibility period extension, contiguous with the original eligibility period. The fee and restrictions apply to those who already registered for exams as well as to those who plan to register.

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USCIS is changing the Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions.  The revisions to the form clarify the requirements for the exception and the basis for preparing a medical certification for applicants and medical professionals. 

Under US immigration law, applicants for naturalization must demonstrate that they can communicate in English and understand US history and government.  However, applicants who cannot comply with one or both of those requirements because of a medically determinable physical or developmental disability or mental impairment may request an exemption from either or both of the requirements through submission of a Form N-648 certification, completed by a medical professional.