Personal Training Over The Horizon - The Industry

As we begin 2007 and look back at the last decade one must appreciate the progress that has been made in the industry. From an industry then plagued by under qualified certification associations to now becoming an industry of maturing certifying bodies appropriately achieving NOCA/NCCA accreditation. It has been a short period with a great deal of change which should be celebrated. However, our work is not done. We must now beware of other third party organizations taking over the industry and bringing us down the road of insurance reimbursements and multiple layers of painstaking bureaucracy.

What I am referring to is the danger the personal training industry currently faces with regard to further government regulation which is being lobbied by insurance organizations and other would be third party verification associations that want to see personal training become an insurance reimbursed service. I was in favor of this concept a decade ago until I dug a bit deeper and asked those who made a living as a result of this system of insurance reimbursement. I interviewed doctors affiliated with our nations' leading hospitals and the response I received was shocking. The bottom line was always simple. Avoid third party verification and dealing with or having to deal with insurance companies!

The next logical question was "Why". After all, wouldn't reimbursement make the cost of personal training and preventative healthcare more affordable to our clients? In the short run maybe, but as the insurance companies and other profiteering third party organizations become involved the cost of training becomes heavily regulated and the time it takes to receive reimbursements will put many out of business while driving potential personal trainers from the industry.

Does this sound familiar to you? Just as we are seeing in the medical fields and in our hospitals, doctors are leaving their fields due to financial hardship and regulations which have resulted from our medical professionals being buried under a heap of paperwork and bureaucracy. We can't let this happen to our industry!

This will be an interesting year on Capital Hill for our industry. Avoid letting the profiteers ruin it for us and our clients. Let's work together to stay informed as an industry and united in our cause to better the lives of those we serve. By protecting the independence of our industry we will secure our careers as personal fitness trainers.

Daniel R. Gaita, MAnPresident, Personal Trainer Listing Servicendanielgaita@comcast.net
www.personaltrainer.ccn(203) 994-2987n