| Abstract: | Rehabilitation (RHB) is one of the fastest growing areas in the health industry. Supported by several key pieces of legislation, psychologists have established themselves as integral health care providers in RHB. Although psychologists have benefited from legislated membership in RHB, most individual psychologists and the psychological associations have not recognized the importance of public policy for the practice of psychology. Escalating health care costs have resulted in major revisions in the manner in which health insurers reimburse treatment. Medicare, the major federal health insurance provider, increasingly has been viewed as a model for the provision of all health care. The historic exclusion of psychologists from Medicare has limited the scope of psychologists' practice and the growth of professional psychology. The recent inclusion of psychologists in Medicare improves but does not solve practice and policy issues confronting psychology. Knowledge of national health policy formulation and greater participation by psychologists in health policy are necessary to secure the scope of professional practice most psychologists expect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
