House companion to rural therapy services bill introduced

Reps. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) and Dave Loebsack (D-IA) last night introduced AHA-supported legislation (H.R. 2878) that would extend through calendar year 2015 the enforcement delay on direct supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services provided in critical access hospitals and rural prospective payment system hospitals with 100 or fewer beds. An identical Senate bill (S. 1461) was approved by the Finance Committee Wednesday. AHA also continues to urge Congress to enact the Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services Act (S. 257/H.R. 1611), which would adopt a default standard of “general supervision” for outpatient therapeutic services, among other provisions. “As you know, these services have always been provided by licensed, skilled professionals under the overall direction of a physician and with the assurance of rapid assistance from a team of caregivers, including a physician,” AHA Executive Vice President Rick Pollack told sponsors in a letter of support. “While hospitals recognize the need for direct supervision for certain outpatient services that pose a high risk or are very complex, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ policy generally applies to even the lowest risk services.”