[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5372]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         ACCESS TO INPATIENT REHABILITATION THERAPY ACT OF 2015

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I joined the 
gentleman from North Carolina, Congressman G.K. Butterfield, to 
introduce H.R. 1906, the bipartisan Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation 
Therapy Act of 2015.
  Coordinated medical rehabilitation provided in an inpatient setting 
is crucial to Medicare beneficiaries with injuries, disease, 
disabilities, or chronic conditions.
  Unfortunately, beginning in 2010, the Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services began placing limitations on what types of therapy a 
beneficiary could receive, despite the professional judgment of the 
treating physician.
  Mr. Speaker, these limitations restrict recreational therapy from 
being prescribed, despite it being medically necessary in many cases.
  The bipartisan Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015 
that I have introduced with Congressman Butterfield will undo these 
unnecessary barriers imposed by CMS that place limitations on what 
types of therapy a beneficiary may receive.

                              {time}  1045

  This legislation will not cost the American taxpayer any money; will 
help facilitate access to the appropriate mix of services in an 
inpatient rehabilitation facility; and will benefit patients with brain 
injuries, spinal cord injuries, and those who have sustained strokes, 
amputations, individuals living with neurological disorders, and a wide 
range of other conditions.
  Mr. Speaker, I stand here today and strongly urge my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle to get behind this commonsense bipartisan 
legislation.

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