Alpha Lillstrom Cheng

Background:

By law, a 15% payment differential for therapy assistants went into effect on January 1, 2022. We need your help asking lawmakers to provide relief.

 

Advocacy Opportunity: 

Ask your Representative to cosponsor the Stabilizing Medicare Access to Rehabilitation and Therapy (SMART) Act (H.R.5536) in order to suspend the Medicare payment differential for services furnished by PTAs and OTAs and reduce the supervision burden. We need your help making sure your legislator understands the impact the payment differential and supervision standard has on your ability to keep your doors open, see patients, and remain a viable business and employer in your community.

 

If you are on social media, tweet or create facebook post tagging your legislator and #PPSAdvocacy. TEMPLATE TWEET: “Ensure access to PT care. Suspend the PTA/OTA payment differential. Cosponsor HR5536. [@Representative Twitter handle] #PPSAdvocacy”

 

Check out these tips for advocacy.For information on PPS’s legislative priorities and activities, visit the Advocacy section at www.ppsapta.org

 

 

Thank you. Your voice makes an impact. Together we can make a difference.

 

 

TEMPLATE EMAIL:

Subject line: PTAs enable my practice to meet the physical therapy needs of my community—especially during COVID. Suspend Medicare cuts so I can stay in business.

 

Dear Representative ____________,

I am your constituent, a physical therapist in private practice, and a member of the Private Practice Section (PPS) of the American Physical Therapy Association. On behalf of myself and PPS, I’m asking you to cosponsor the Stabilizing Medicare Access to Rehabilitation and Therapy (SMART) Act (H.R.5536).

The SMART Act would support small businesses like mine and protect Medicare beneficiary access to physical therapy by suspending the physical therapist assistant (PTA) differential for a year while also designating PTAs working in rural and Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) exempt from the 15% payment differential. The SMART Act also seeks to allow the supervision standard for PTAs by physical therapists to be determined by state law. In 44 states, that would mean that PTA supervision in Medicare Part B settings would be general supervision—the same as all other practice types.

 

As your constituent and a small business owner in your district, I ask you to please cosponsor the Stabilizing Medicare Access to Rehabilitation and Therapy (SMART) Actand push for the legislation to be added to the Continuing Resolution that Congress must pass in February.

 

Thank you for your previous efforts to prevent Medicare cuts. Given the current instability in the health care system, now is not the time to reduce payment to Medicare providers which will hinder patient access to care—especially in rural and underserved areas. Please act to help me keep my clinic doors open—to not only serve our patients but also to provide jobs in our town.

 

Thank you,

 

 

[Name, credentials]

Member, Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association

[Practice Name]

[Practice Address]

[Practice phone number]