Speech-Language Pathologists Call on Congress to Stop the Therapy Caps

ASHA Sponsors Events to Advocate for Patient Access to Speech-Language Pathology Care

(Rockville, MD - October 31, 2007) The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) will hold national call-in days October 31 and November 1 for members to call and urge the U.S. Congress to stop the Medicare outpatient therapy caps from taking full effect next January. Some members also will visit their Congressional representatives to advocate on this issue.

Under the therapy caps, a Medicare patient may not receive more than $1,780 in covered outpatient speech-language pathology and physical therapy—combined—this year. There is also a separate $1,780 cap on occupational therapy. Congress did create an exceptions process that allows healthcare professionals to provide outpatient therapy above the caps in cases of medical necessity. However, the exceptions process is due to expire at the end of this year. Consequently, unless Congress extends the exceptions process, or fully repeals the cap by passing The Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act (HR 748/S 450), the therapy cap will take full effect beginning January 2008, limiting patient access to needed health care services.

"Congress must act immediately to stop the Medicare outpatient therapy caps from taking full effect next year," according to ASHA President Noma Anderson. "The caps are arbitrary and jeopardize Medicare patients' access to needed therapy."

Anderson adds: "The combined cap on speech-language pathology and physical therapy services severely affects people who have suffered a stroke or who have serious neurological conditions such as Parkinson's Disease. Lack of appropriate therapy can potentially put the Medicare beneficiary at risk for new sets of even more severe problems—problems that could very well lead to increased costs to the Medicare program and hospital readmissions."

ASHA is among several groups which will sponsor "Stop the Therapy Cap Advocacy Day." Other sponsors will include the American Health Care Association, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association, and Easter Seals. Also, members of Congress who oppose the therapy caps are expected to lend their support to the effort.

ASHA is the professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 127,000 members and affiliates who are speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists.

###

Text Size:

Print Friendly |

Send to a Friend

Other Sections