Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2021

Bill: 117-hr-1956
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE-At Large]
Introduced: 2021-03-17
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Health personnel

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Medicare

Nursing
Latest action: action_date: 2021-03-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-03-17
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of </b><b>2021</b></p> <p>This bill accelerates and expands certain changes that are scheduled to take effect relating to the coverage of cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under Medicare.</p> <p>Currently, such programs require physician supervision. Effective January 1, 2024, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists may also supervise these programs. The bill expedites the effective date of these changes to January 1, 2022, and also allows these practitioners to administer programs in their offices, prepare and sign treatment plans, and prescribe exercise.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1956 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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2021 . 2. Expanding access to cardiac rehabilitation programs and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under Medicare program (a) Cardiac rehabilitation programs Section 1861(eee) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(eee) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (2)— (A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking a physician’s office and inserting the office of a physician (as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or the office of a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5)) ; and (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting after physician the following: (as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5)) ; (2) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking physician-prescribed exercise and inserting exercise prescribed by a physician (as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5)) ; and (3) in paragraph (5), by inserting after physician the following: (as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5)) . (b) Pulmonary rehabilitation programs Section 1861(fff) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(fff) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking physician-prescribed exercise and inserting exercise prescribed by a physician (as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5)) ; and (2) in paragraph (3), by inserting after physician the following: (as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5)) . (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2022. 3. Expediting access to cardiac rehabilitation programs and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under Medicare program Section 51008(c) of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 ( Public Law 115–123 ; 42 U.S.C. 1395x note) is amended by striking January 1, 2024 and inserting January 1, 2022 .