ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Pending cuts to the Medicare physician fee schedule could severely hamper the ability of physical therapists to serve the rehabilitation needs of seniors and people with disabilities — driving up overall costs while decreasing quality of care, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and its Private Practice Section.
In testimony May 8 before a hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business, Tom DiAngelis, PT, vice president of APTA’s Private Practice Section, commented that a scheduled 10.6 percent cut in Medicare physician payments could have an especially devastating impact on PTs in private practice, who are faced with not only the rising costs of running a small business, but also decreases in revenue due to a variety of government payment and policy challenges. The hearing on “Medicare Physician Fee Cuts: Can Small Practices Survive?” provided an opportunity for the committee to examine the potential impact of fee cuts on the practices of physicians and other allied health professionals. Unless Congress intervenes, the cuts will go into effect July 1, 2008, and could also have significant ramifications on the services offered to Medicare patients, according to APTA.
“These Medicare beneficiaries are individuals who have suffered from stroke, had joint replacements or chronic diseases that impair their ability to move, walk and perform their daily tasks,” DiAngelis testified. “Physical therapist small businesses address these beneficiaries’ health care needs throughout the United States and contribute to the health status of our country, including its economic health.”
Physical therapists, in particular, are being hit especially hard, according to DiAngelis. Not only will they experience the overall 10.6 percent reduction in payment under the fee schedule, they also will be subject to an arbitrary annual cap of $1,810 per beneficiary on outpatient services beginning July 1.
“This cap will not save the Medicare program money,” added DiAngelis. “It would only shift the cost of care away from outpatient facilities and small business to more costly and less efficient inpatient facilities. Small businesses in physical therapy will be impacted as the therapy cap policy includes an exemption for hospital outpatient departments. This exemption will do nothing more than encourage patients to seek services in the hospital setting to avoid having to change providers over the course of their physical therapy treatment when they reach the cap.” APTA is advocating for a repeal of the therapy caps or an extension of the current exceptions process that maintains access to clinically appropriate physical therapy services under Medicare.
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Written by Dominick - Visit My Website
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Dominick Evans is the founder and Spokesperson for MDP United. Born with SMA Type III, Dominick has always been vocal about the rights of those with Muscular Dystrophy and disabilities in general. He attended Wright State University where he participated in Student Government and studied Theatre and Political Science. Currently, he works as a full time writer, pro blogger, and in his spare time plays wheelchair sports, spends time with his family, and composes and produces music. 
For Judy Helsel, her days are long, she works from morning until she goes to bed, and the work she does is grueling. However, everything she does is worth it because she spends her days taking care of her son, Brian. Brian is a 25 year old with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. However, Brian has an incredibly busy life. His disability does not stop him from enjoying racing (NASCAR and his dad’s racer), attending special events for his local MDA, watching the Toledo Mud Hens play, and fixing computers.