Federal Advocacy Update - Sept. 2020
In this update:
Proposed 2021 Medicare Physician Feel Schedule 9% cut:
- Most recent congressional action on the proposed cut was the Illinois Representative Bobby Rush sign on letter to congressional leadership.
- 93 bipartisan members signed on
- Asked for a 2-year waiver of budget neutrality
- Justin Elliot and Kara Gainer did a comprehensive webinar on the MPFS
- It included history of the proposed rule, regulatory specifics and congressional advocacy so far.
- Check out the video for reminders and background to assist when meeting with members and staff.
- Fresh intel:
- Lame duck session is uncertain since the election is uncertain who will take the senate or presidency
- APTA has been working with House Ways & Means staff and Senate Finance staff on a legislative fix to the MPFS cuts.
- If you have not already done so, please go to the APTA’s take action page for the Proposed 2021 Medicare Physician Fee schedule and take action by sending an email to your elected representatives as well as by completing a comment letter to CMS.
Telehealth:
- Rep. Nunes Bill – Representative Nunes is working legislation which is not introduced yet but we have seen the draft text and it includes physical therapists as authorized providers for telehealth under Medicare. The timing on this bill being introduced is not certain but we are hopeful we will see it in October.
- Chairman Alexander of Senate HELP committee also has a bill that would give broad authority to the Secretary on expanding the providers who are authorized to furnish telehealth services under Medicare.
- Lastly, there was a bill recently introduced by Rep. Dean Phillips and this bill would impact private health insurance plans by covering telehealth services in whatever fashion and extent an in-person visit is covered. So, if the plan covers an in-person PT visit then it will also cover a telehealth visit by a PT and reimburse it at the same rate.
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