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Lawmakers press whether ASHA certificate should drive licensure and compact eligibility
Summary
Committee members questioned the role and cost of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association'''s Certificate of Clinical Competency and noted a Medicare ruling that may not reimburse services performed under provisional licenses; staff said the state board follows statute and agreed to provide written clarification on compact membership rules.
Chairman Watson pressed the committee June 17 on whether Tennessee''s reliance on a third-party certificate for speech-language pathologists creates an unnecessary cost or barrier and whether that credential should be a prerequisite for interstate compact participation.
"They're basically paying for two licenses," Chairman Watson said during a discussion about licensure pathways and Medicare reimbursement. "It costs $250." He added that recent Medicare guidance appears to treat provisional licenses differently for reimbursement, and he urged the panel to ask the board to respond in writing about the Certificate of Clinical Competency'''s (CCC) role in compact membership.
Jennifer Putnam, the Department of Health official presenting licensure boards, told the committee the board follows existing statute and that the CCC is not a requirement for state licensure renewal. Putnam said staff would follow up in writing on whether the CCC is required for membership in the interstate compact now under development.
Why it matters
Several lawmakers said the current arrangement can create extra costs for clinicians and may have practical implications for reimbursement and workforce mobility across state lines. Committee members discussed possible statutory solutions, fee adjustments and the need to coordinate compact rules so that clinicians licensed in one state can practice in another without duplicative credentialing.
What the committee asked for
- The Department of Health and the Board of Communication Disorders and Sciences were asked to supply written answers about whether ASHA'''s CCC is required for compact membership and how Medicare'''s position on provisional licenses affects provider reimbursement. - Committee staff noted the compact commission will meet June 30 and that the question will also be discussed there.
The committee approved an 8-year extension for the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology compact and a 5-year extension for the Board of Communication Disorders and Sciences; the committee requested written follow-up on the CCC question before full-committee consideration.
