We would like to thank the hundreds of ASHA members who took part in the call-in and fly-in campaigns held on October 31st and November 1st to urge Congress to extend the Medicare therapy caps exceptions process. To ensure that Congress is aware of the broad support for the exceptions process, ASHA co-sponsored the Stop the Therapy Cap Advocacy Day on October 31, in Washington, D.C.
Legislators, patient advocates, speech-language pathologists, and other therapy providers joined forces to speak up for patients' needs. A number of legislators spoke in favor of the exceptions process to an audience of over 100 attendees, including Senator John Ensign (R-Nevada) who introduced bills to repeal the outpatient therapy caps and to allow speech-language pathologists to bill directly to Medicare. "Therapy is essential to the successful rehabilitation of seniors suffering from conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, and congenital heart failure," Ensign said. "Congress has demonstrated its opposition to these arbitrary limitations year after year. It's time to act for our seniors and ensure that they receive the rehabilitation services they need."
If you have not had a chance to recently contact your federal legislators concerning the Medicare therapy caps or SLP supplier status, please visit ASHA's Take Action Web site for draft e-mails that can be sent in fewer than 5 minutes.
For more information, please contact Elizabeth Mundinger, ASHA's Director of Federal and Political Advocacy, by e-mail at emundinger@asha.org or by phone at 202-624-5951.
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