PRIVATE PRACTICE SECTION OF APTA

Health Issues

1. The Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act (H.R.1611/S.2612)and potential Senate companion bill, to allow ALL private practice physical therapists-regardless of where their clinic is located-to use a locum tenens to provide their Medicare patients continued care when they need to be out of the clinic. 2. The Expanded Telehealth Access Act (H.R.2168/S.3193) and potential Senate companion bill, to permanently add physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and other rehabilitation therapists to the list of providers that Medicare pays for telehealth. 3. The Medicare Patient Empowerment Act (S.826/H.R.3322)to allow a Medicare beneficiary to enter into a direct contract with an eligible professional (regardless of whether that person was a participating or non-participating physician or practitioner) for any item or service covered by Medicare. 4. The SMART Act (H.R.5536) to delay implementation of the PTA/OTA differential by one year, exempt therapy assistants in rural and medically underserved areas from the differential, and to change the supervision requirement for PTAs in private practice settings to that which state law requires. 5. Gain supporters for extending the 3.75% Medicare payment adjustment for another year, including gaining cosigners for Bera-Bucshon letter requesting that action before end of 2021. 6. The bipartisan Eliminating Provider Relief Fund Tax Penalties Act (H.R.2079) is seeking to override the 2020 IRS guidance which stated provider relief fund grants are to be treated as gross income and therefore taxable. 7. The Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act (H.R.3173/S.3108) to reduce administrative burden by requiring a streamed and standardized way Medicare Advantage (MA) plans use prior authorization as well as increasing oversight and transparency around prior authorization.

TargetedSENATE · HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)