Houston

A group of Texas businesses and disability advocates have formed the Greater Texas Rehab Provider's Council (TXRPC). Spurred by potential budget cuts in Medicaid and Medicare funding, TXPC will create “an open forum for consumers, equipment providers and manufacturers” to provide a collective voice in legislative, budget and agency issues, the organization announced.

“The need for a Texas forum has never been greater,” said Ron Kieschnik, TXRPC president and president of Houston-based Seating Profiles. “Statewide issues such as the reorganization of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the transition to a new claims-processing agent for the Texas Medicaid program and the implementation of the new HIPAA standardized billing codes present unique challenges.”

Besides Kieschnik, founding council members include Chris Yule, president and CEO of Travis Medical, Austin; James Garner, president and CEO of ActivMedical, Denton; Sandy Cormier, president and CEO of Rehab-in-Motion, San Antonio; and Tom Hafford, president and CEO of Texas DME, Cleburne.

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