Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-253
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2017-02-01
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Home and outpatient care

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2017-02-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S596-597; text of measure as introduced: CR S597)

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-02-01
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017</strong></p> <p>This bill repeals existing caps on Medicare payment&nbsp;for certain outpatient physical-therapy services and speech-language pathology services. Under current law, annual payment for such services is capped at $1,980 in 2017, with specified percentage increases to that limit in subsequent years.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 253 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 1, 2017 Mr. Cardin (for himself, Ms. Collins , Mr. Casey , and Mr. Heller ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017 . 2. Outpatient therapy cap repeal (a) In general Section 1833 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395(l) ) is amended by striking subsection (g). (b) Conforming amendments Section 1842(t)(2) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395u(t)(2) ) is amended— (1) by striking (2) Each request and all that follows through 1833(a)(8)(B), and inserting (2)(A) Each request for payment, or bill submitted, for therapy services described in subparagraph (B) ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (B) The following therapy services are described in this subparagraph: (i) Physical therapy services of the type described in section 1861(p) and speech-language pathology services of the type described in such section through the application of section 1861(ll)(2), including services described in section 1833(a)(8)(B), and physical therapy services and speech-language pathology services of such type which are furnished by a physician or as incident to physicians' services. (ii) Occupational therapy services of the type that are described in section 1861(p), including services described in section 1833(a)(8)(B), through the operation of section 1861(g) and of such type which are furnished by a physician or as incident to physicians' services. .