Physical therapy advocates of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), Alexandria, Va. recently met with their members of Congress to discuss the importance of direct access to physical therapy services provided under Medicare, the negative effect of arbitrary financial limits (also known as therapy caps) on Medicare Part B outpatient rehabilitative services, and policies that would increase access to care for patients in rural areas and the nation’s veterans.
Armed with stories from their patients, the physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy described how requiring a physician referral for physical therapy services for Medicare beneficiaries can delay care and result in higher costs, lower patient functional status, and increased hospitalizations. They also stressed the need for an alternative policy to the arbitrary cap on rehabilitative services for seniors.
The advocates called on their members of Congress to support legislation that would improve the recruitment and retention of physical therapists in the Veterans Health Administration and amend the Public Health Service Act to make certain physical therapists eligible for student loan repayment assistance under the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program–providing greater access to physical therapy services to the nation’s veterans and patients in rural areas.
The visits to Capitol Hill were preceded by an award ceremony in which Rep Xavier Becerra (D-Calif) was presented with APTA’s 2010 Public Service Award. Becerra has been a lead sponsor of legislation to permanently repeal the therapy caps.
APTA’s Federal Advocacy Forum, an annual educational event focused on educating members of Congress about physical therapy issues, drew more than 200 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy to Alexandria, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
[Source: APTA]
