[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 22, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S10719]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      THE REINSTATEMENT OF THE MEDICARE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1998

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the 
Reinstatement of the Medicare Rehabilitation Act of 1998, introduced by 
Senators Reid and Grassley. I have always been a strong advocate for 
the senior citizens of our nation and I believe this bill will help 
provide a safety net for some of our sickest seniors. I was pleased to 
recently join my colleagues as a cosponsor of this bill for two 
reasons--it repeals an unnecessary $1,500 cap on Medicare outpatient 
rehabilitation services and will allow seniors to receive treatment 
services that are essential to their health.
  Every year our elderly are threatened by strokes, multiple injuries, 
and diseases. Seniors who suffer from strokes and multiple diseases in 
a given year often have complex health care needs that require costly, 
comprehensive treatment. One study has estimated that almost 13% of all 
Medicare beneficiaries or 635,000 seniors who receive rehabilitative 
services outside of a hospital setting will exceed the $1,500 cap. The 
treatment that they desperately need would exceed the $1,500 cap and 
require seniors to pay out of pocket for services or seek treatment in 
a hospital outpatient department in order for Medicare to cover their 
treatment.
  How could our senior citizens be treated this way? How did this come 
to be? Well let me tell you, in 1997 Congress passed the Balanced 
Budget Act. Within that Act we placed a $1,500 cap on outpatient 
rehabilitation services. Limits on the cap were adopted without 
adequate committee hearings and a detailed analysis was not conducted 
by HCFA to determine the likely effects on beneficiaries' ability to 
obtain medically necessary services.
  This was a mistake, but fortunately we can correct it by passing this 
legislation. The Reinstatement of the Medicare Rehabilitation Act 
ensures senior citizens the right to receive the medical services they 
need to recover. Under this bill, senior citizens will no longer be 
hindered by financial limitations on rehabilitation services and 
seniors who don't live near a hospital won't be forced to travel there 
just to have Medicare pay for their treatment services. I don't want an 
85-year-old woman who has had a stroke and is trying to regain her 
ability to speak or eat to have to travel to a hospital 30 minutes away 
to receive treatment.
  I want to let those who depend on Medicare know that we are working 
to protect their health. While we must continue to work diligently to 
protect the solvency of Medicare, we can't let seniors who need 
rehabilitation services fall through the cracks. I salute the sponsors 
of this bill and urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation.

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