Easy access to rehab
I am a local physical therapist concerned about patient access to rehabilitation services. When my patients need care, every day - and every mile you have to travel to get that care - counts. Medicare beneficiaries currently have burdensome requirements, such as a receiving physician's referral or certification of the plan of care, to receive physical therapist services. These burdensome requirements cause delays, and at times can deny access for patients to receive cost-effective interventions provided by physical therapists.
To comment on this letter, click on "Comments" below
Medicare should not limit access to safe, qualified providers with more burdensome requirements than state law. Currently, 48 states allow physical therapists to evaluate patients without a prior physician's referral and 44 states and the District of Columbia improve accessibility further by allowing physical therapists to evaluate and treat, under certain conditions, patients without a referral from a physician.
A bill has recently been introduced in Congress to allow Medicare beneficiaries to benefit from improved access to physical therapist services, The Medicare Access to Physical Therapists Act (HR 1552, S. 932). Readers of this paper, Medicare beneficiaries and their families should urge Congress to support this legislation.
Stephen Kareha
Hanover
