[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 85 (Thursday, June 29, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1144-E1145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN SUPPORT OF PASSAGE OF MEDICARE COVERAGE OF VISION REHABILITATION 
                          SERVICES (H.R. 2870)

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL E. CAPUANO

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 28, 2000

  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of passage of my 
bill, H.R. 2870, the Medicare Vision Rehabilitation Coverage Act. As 
Congress considers its health care initiatives, I would like to 
highlight a proposal that would help over 6 million seniors in the 
United States receive services necessary for maintaining their 
independence. The Medicare Vision Rehabilitation Coverage Act would 
provide access to vision rehabilitation services for Medicare 
beneficiaries who report some level of vision impairment and would end 
up saving Medicare funds.
  H.R. 2870 would extend Medicare coverage to orientation and mobility 
specialists, rehabilitation teachers and low vision therapists. These 
professionals provide critical specialized rehabilitation services to 
help people with a vision impairment to be able to adjust the loss of 
sight and carry out normal daily activities. These services can restore 
a person's independence, improve their quality of life and save 
unnecessary suffering and expense by preventing injuries.
  Vision loss has a powerful impact on one's daily life. It affects an 
individual's ability to communicate through reading and writing, manage 
simple household tasks, move around safely and handle medication. In 
addition, vision that cannot be corrected by medical or surgical 
intervention or corrective lenses, is a major contributing factor to 
falls among older adults which can cause hip fractures and other 
injuries.
  The Framingham Eye Study reports that 18 percent of all hip fractures 
in the elderly are a result of vision impairment. This year alone, it 
is estimated that 63,000 hip fractures will occur due to vision loss. 
The cost incurred for the medical treatment of a hip fracture is 
$35,000. Therefore, the total estimated cost of medical treatment for 
hip fractures this year alone is $2.2 billion. Conservative estimates 
illustrate that 20% of these hip fractures could have been prevented if 
elderly persons suffering from vision impairment had access to vision 
rehabilitation services. This would save

[[Page E1145]]

$441 million annually for the federal government.
  Savings to Medicare also occur by reducing the need for in-home and 
nursing home care By providing the skills and services to those with 
vision impairment, Medicare promotes quality of life and independence 
for the individual. I know first-hand, the cost factors and emotional 
strain related to the loss of independence and need for additional 
health care services due to vision impairment. My mother, who suffers 
from vision impairment, benefited tremendously from the rehabilitation 
services provided by the Greater Boston Aid to the Blind.
  Studies by the National Center for Health Statistics and others find 
age-related visual impairment to be second only to arthritis/rheumatism 
as a cause of disability. In addition, the Alliance for Aging Research 
found visual impairment as one of four conditions leading older 
citizens to lose their independence. Medicare must provide its 
beneficiaries with the ability to live a normal life. Please join me 
and nearly 80 other cosponsors in this effort by including vision 
rehabilitation professionals in Medicare reform legislation.

                          ____________________