November 24, 2009
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) applauds the US
House of Representatives for taking recent action to ensure that
America's seniors and people with disabilities have access to high
quality care rehabilitative services.
The Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009 (HR 3961), which
passed by a vote of 243 to 183, would stop a 21.2% scheduled cut in
Medicare payments to providers set to go into effect on January 1, 2010,
and update the physician fee schedule conversion factor to avoid
further cuts in the future. While we are pleased that the House has
passed legislation to replace the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR)
formula with a more accurate annual update, APTA is disappointed the
House did not address the December 31, 2009, expiration of the therapy
caps exceptions process and provisions that ensure equitable payments to
rural physicians and other providers, including physical therapists.
We urge the Senate to take swift action on HR 3961. Although a 1-year
fix of the SGR and a 1-year extension of the therapy caps exceptions
process are included in the Senate's reform legislation, APTA supports a
long-term solution to this existing flawed Medicare payment policy,
permanent repeal of the therapy caps, and the continuation of policies
that guarantee fair payment for rural providers to increase patient
access to cost-effective outpatient rehabilitation services provided by
physical therapists.
APTA President R. Scott Ward, PT, PhD