Policy Corner: August 26, 2022
Categories: Policy Corner Archives
Lawmakers Introduce the Access to Inpatient Rehab Therapy Act Today
Today, Reps. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R-Pa.) introduced a new bipartisan bill that would support individuals with a brain injury and seniors by preserving expanded access to skilled rehabilitation therapies for Medicare patients, even after the existing Public Health Emergency (PHE) is lifted. The “Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Act” would ensure that all inpatient rehabilitation hospital patients can continue to benefit from a patient-centered, interdisciplinary care plan even after the end of the PHE.
Patients who are recovering from a brain injury, amputations, or strokes need a range of rehabilitation therapies to enable their safe return home. Once the PHE ends, Medicare rules will unfairly limit the types of therapies that these patients could receive by failing to count them towards their “intensity of therapy requirement.” Under Medicare rules, a patient must benefit from at least three-hours of skilled rehabilitation therapy per day in order to qualify for Medicare coverage of their stay in an inpatient rehab facility. This new legislation would expand the types of therapy that count toward this requirement, such as recreational therapy and respiratory therapy, ensuring that patients can access care that their physicians believe will aid them on the road to recovery.
“Just as no two people are exactly alike, no two brain injuries are exactly alike. People with brain injuries need a comprehensive, diverse set of therapies when in the post-acute rehabilitation stage of their treatment,” said Brain Injury Association of American President & CEO Susan Connors. “This bill will go a long way towards protecting meaningful patient access to the gold standard of rehabilitation therapy, including a mix of skilled therapeutic modalities that will help patients enhance their recovery.” The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) is a strong supporter of this bill.
Medicare is Accepting Public Comments on Coverage of Seat Elevation and Standing Systems in Power Wheelchairs
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) is accepting public comments through Wednesday, September 14, on Medicare coverage for seat elevation and standing systems in power wheelchairs. More than 1,000 comments have been received to date. Medicare prohibits coverage presently as it views these systems as “not primarily medical in nature.” Yet, seat elevation and standing systems in power wheelchairs are vital to many people to be able to:
- Safely transfer from a wheelchair to another surface (toileting, bathing, etc.), particularly if it is not level with their chair;
- Function independently at home as much as possible (cooking, cleaning, grooming, dressing); and
- Improve circulation, bone strength, and skin health, along with other medical benefits when spending long periods of time in a wheelchair.
This coming week, advocates are zeroing in on the perspective of health care providers – the physicians, therapists, nurses, and all other clinicians — who work with individuals with disabilities to enhance their health and function. These providers are very familiar with the vast medical benefits that these systems provide their patients, and just how important it is for consumers to have access to these medically necessary technologies. To help with these efforts, you may share your story to let Medicare know how these power wheelchair features are critical for patient care and caregivers at www.rise4access.org. Instructions on submitting comments to Medicare can be found at the CMS website.
Congressional Members are in Their Home Districts for the August Recess
Both the Senate and the House of Representatives in their home districts for the August recess. When lawmakers are in their home districts, most of whom will be campaigning for their re-election or on behalf of others, is always a good time to discuss brain injury while members are out and about. As a reminder, BIAA has policy materials on its website.