On November 2, the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Health & Well-being Coaching (HWC) Services will be added to the Medicare Telehealth List in 2024 in a temporary phase to study outcomes. Let's share an abundance of gratitude for everyone's amazing contributions.
First, the pioneering souls who co-founded the national standards as early board members of what became the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching: Richard Cotton, ACSM - enabled the HWC job task analysis Cindy Schultz - the first NBHWC Chair, led the project for CDC DPP group coaching standards Karen Lawson, MD - secured funding for the 2010 retreat, which enabled NBHWC formation Linda Bark PhD, RN, MCC, NC-BC, NBC-HWC - first integrative health coach, brought nurse coaches together with NBHWC Leigh-Ann Webster, NBC-HWC - built operational and marketing foundation Meg Jordan, PhD, RN, NBC-HWC - developed coaching skills standards Ruth Q. Wolever, PhD - first HWC researcher, led a systematic review that defined HWC Michael Arloski, PhD - first wellness coach, coaching standards leader Tim Cline, PhD - built a group coaching curriculum for the CDC DPP program and NBHWC Francis "Frank" Ardito, EdD - developed the NBHWC program approval system Linda Smith, PA - coaching standards leader
Pamela Peeke, MD – steering board and advocacy
Margaret Moore, MBA – co-leader of national standards, certification development, NBHWC formation
Second, NBME leaders who believed in our co-founders' passion:
David Eisenberg, MD, introduced NBME to co-founders Donald Melnick, MD, NBME past President Peter Katsufrakis, MD, NBME CEO Agata Butler - enabled HWC certification examination Craig Mills - negotiating lead of NBME/NBHWC agreement Jack Hinke - helped NBHWC establish a viable financial path Lisa Rawding - helped NBHWC establish a viable strategic path Third - Dr. Kavitha Reddy, Veteran’s Health Administration, who led the 2019 approval of CPT codes for health and well-being coaching services with our help at NBHWC. Fourth, our team who met with CMS twice in 2019 to discuss HWC services in Medicare: Brian Carey, JD, Foley Hoag Ross Margulies, JD, Foley Hoag Linda Lysoby, NCHEC Francis "Frank" Ardito, NBHWC Thomas Rebbecchi, M.D., NBME Ben Crocker, MD, MGH George Guthrie, MD, ACLM Fifth, our team that prepared and advocated for the HWC codes at the AMA CPT Panel in May 2023 and the CMS decision in November 2023: Kavitha Reddy, MD, VHA Moain Abu Dabrh, MBBCh, MS, NBC-HWC, Mayo Clinic Janet Clark, MD, VHA Melissa Opp, NCHEC Beth Frates, MD FACLM DipABLM, ACLM Michael Parkinson, MD, MPH, FACPM, ACPM Angela Fitch MD, FACP, FOMA, Dipl. ABOM, OMA Jacob Mirsky, MD, MA, DipABLM, MGH Monte Ward, ACSM Karen Avino EdD, RN, AHN-BC, HWNC-BC, SGAHN, AHNCC Leigh-Ann Webster, NBC-HWC, NBHWC Jessica Matthews, DBH, MS, NBC-HWC, DipACLM, FACLM, UCSD database Gene Kallenberg, MD, UCSD Scott Morcott, MD, NBHWC Jennifer Lundman, LCSW, NBHWC Steven Stranne, MD, JD, Foley Hoag John McInnes, MD, JD, Consultant
Katy Goodell, Outreach and utilization data management
Gary Sforzo, PhD, Evidence review
Bettina Beech, Dr.P.H., CPT submission
Jocelyn Weiss, PhD, Evidence review
Margaret Moore, MBA, Team Lead What a transformational accomplishment, a milestone we will long celebrate.
After 14 intense years (starting in late 2009) and 10,000 volunteer hours, I resigned from my NBHWC board and policy leadership roles in October 2023. In our next phase, I am focused on fully supporting the Wellcoaches community on our collaborative journey together.
Onward & upward! Here’s to our next big milestone.
Coach Meg