Congress action will make it easier for stroke survivors to receive the rehabilitation services they need to recover from the devastating effects of stroke.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in America and a leading cause of disability.
Congress vote to lift the rehabilitation caps is a significant victory for stroke survivors and their families as they fight to regain the basic functions of daily living that most people take for granted, including dressing and caring for themselves. Through stroke rehabilitation services and a great deal of hard work, stroke patients can succeed in regaining their ability to speak their names, move their limbs and even return to work. But this therapy takes time and effort. The omnibus budget package passed in the final moments of the 1 st Session of the 106 th Congress includes a provision to lift these Medicare rehabilitation caps for two years. In the United States, someone suffers a stroke every 53 seconds and someone dies from a stroke every 3.3 minutes.