I'm reading this thread with interest.  We, in Indiana, are
investigating a new avenue and I'm wondering if anyone else has heard
about this or has information on it.  I have found out from a dietician
I work with about their strategy for doing with the RD what we want to
do with the IBCLC.  That is,  get reimbursement and protect the
designation.  They got legislation passed here in our state which
recognized their designation (RD) officially.  This had several
benefits, including the fact that a person could not call themselves a
registered dietician unless they were registered with our official
health professions agency.  This also allowed them to bill insurance
companies for consults for certain health conditions like diabetes.  I
was told that the national organization for dieticians (NDA, I think)
wanted all the states to do this because then dieticians could apply as
providers to be reimbursed by Medicare/Medicaid, which they did.  We're
just on the front end of looking into the details and I may not have
heard or represented everything entirely accurately, but it seems to me
that, if this is the case, we should pursue this in every state! I also
will add my voice to the sentiment that I think the qualifications for
sitting the exam have been made too lax.  That can't be good for our
credential...and indeed, from stories I hear, it isn't.  Nonetheless, it
seems to me we need to protect the credential as we have it now, from
further diminishment and seek recognition for it the way dieticians did
for their RD in Indiana.  That is an avenue that may hold some hope for
our professional credential.

Marsha

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future
generations as all 
other earthly causes combined. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

             ***********************************************

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