Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-1725
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2019-06-05
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Allied health services

Hearing, speech, and vision care

Home and outpatient care

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2019-06-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-06-05
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act </strong><b>of 2019</b></p> <p>This bill&nbsp;establishes circumstances under which an&nbsp;occupational therapist&nbsp;may conduct an initial or comprehensive assessment for an individual who is eligible for home health services under Medicare. Specifically, an occupational therapist may conduct the assessment if the physician's referral order does not include skilled nursing care but does include (1) occupational therapy, and (2) physical therapy or speech language pathology.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1725 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 5, 2019 Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Young ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To permit occupational therapists to conduct the initial assessment visit and complete the comprehensive assessment under a Medicare home health plan of care for certain rehabilitation cases.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act of 2019 . 2. Permitting occupational therapists to conduct the initial assessment visit and complete the comprehensive assessment under a Medicare home health plan of care for certain rehabilitation cases (a) In general Notwithstanding section 484.55(a)(2) or 484.55(b)(3) of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, or any other provision of law, an occupational therapist may be designated to conduct the initial assessment visit and to complete the comprehensive assessment for an individual who is eligible for home health services under title XVIII of the Social Security Act if the referral order by the physician— (1) does not include skilled nursing care; (2) includes occupational therapy; and (3) includes physical therapy or speech language pathology. (b) Rule of construction Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to provide for initial eligibility for coverage of home health services under title XVIII of the Social Security Act solely on the basis of a need for occupational therapy.