The Senate Budget Committee approved an amendment offered by Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and John Ensign (R-NV) that would provide funds for the expressed purpose of improving the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation benefit. The amendment calls for a budget neutral reserve fund that could be used to repeal the therapy caps. The Senate is expected to vote on the budget resolution on Monday, March 30.

The budget resolutions provide a framework that guides the work of congressional committees for the remainder of the year. Inclusion of funds to improve the Medicare outpatient therapy benefit is an important first step. While this does not guarantee that repeal legislation will be part of any Medicare legislation this year, it does place a higher priority on addressing the therapy cap issue.

Your continued action on this issue is important. Please contact your members of Congress and request that they support S. 46 and H.R. 43, legislation that would repeal the Medicare outpatient therapy caps. Please Take Action today!

For additional information, contact Ingrida Lusis, Director of Federal and Political Advocacy, at ilusis@asha.org.