I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1956 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and the Bipartisan Budget 

Act of 2018 to expand and expedite access to cardiac rehabilitation 

programs and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under the Medicare 

program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2021 

Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER (for herself, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, Mr. KILMER, 

Mr. FITZPATRICK, and Mr. WELCH) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 

to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 

determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and the 

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 to expand and expedite 

access to cardiac rehabilitation programs and pulmonary 

rehabilitation programs under the Medicare program, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Increasing Access to 

5 Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2021’’. 


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•HR 1956 IH

1 SEC. 2. EXPANDING ACCESS TO CARDIAC REHABILITATION 

2 PROGRAMS AND PULMONARY REHABILITA3 TION PROGRAMS UNDER MEDICARE PRO4 GRAM. 

5 (a) CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMS.—Section 

6 1861(eee) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

7 1395x(eee)) is amended— 

8 (1) in paragraph (2)— 

9 (A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking ‘‘a 

10 physician’s office’’ and inserting ‘‘the office of 

11 a physician (as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or 

12 the office of a physician assistant, nurse practi13 tioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those 

14 terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5))’’; and 

15 (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting after 

16 ‘‘physician’’ the following: ‘‘(as defined in sub17 section (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse 

18 practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as 

19 those terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5))’’; 

20 (2) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ‘‘physician21 prescribed exercise’’ and inserting ‘‘exercise pre22 scribed by a physician (as defined in subsection 

23 (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, 

24 or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are de25 fined in subsection (aa)(5))’’; and 


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•HR 1956 IH

1 (3) in paragraph (5), by inserting after ‘‘physi2 cian’’ the following: ‘‘(as defined in subsection 

3 (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, 

4 or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are de5 fined in subsection (aa)(5))’’. 

6 (b) PULMONARY REHABILITATION PROGRAMS.—Sec7 tion 1861(fff) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

8 1395x(fff)) is amended— 

9 (1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘physician10 prescribed exercise’’ and inserting ‘‘exercise pre11 scribed by a physician (as defined in subsection 

12 (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, 

13 or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are de14 fined in subsection (aa)(5))’’; and 

15 (2) in paragraph (3), by inserting after ‘‘physi16 cian’’ the following: ‘‘(as defined in subsection 

17 (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, 

18 or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are de19 fined in subsection (aa)(5))’’. 

20 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

21 this section shall apply with respect to items and services 

22 furnished on or after January 1, 2022. 


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•HR 1956 IH

1 SEC. 3. EXPEDITING ACCESS TO CARDIAC REHABILITATION 

2 PROGRAMS AND PULMONARY REHABILITA3 TION PROGRAMS UNDER MEDICARE PRO4 GRAM. 

5 Section 51008(c) of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 

6 2018 (Public Law 115–123; 42 U.S.C. 1395x note) is 

7 amended by striking ‘‘January 1, 2024’’ and inserting 

8 ‘‘January 1, 2022’’. 

Æ 


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