[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 1331]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               ACCESS TO INPATIENT REHABILITATION THERAPY

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, before coming to Congress, 
I worked as a certified therapeutic recreation specialist and rehab 
services manager. There is no greater joy in the health profession than 
to see your patient make progress after a debilitating disease or 
disability.
  I rise today to speak about how we can allow more patients the 
ability to live full and healthy lives through therapy. Last week, with 
Congressman G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina, I reintroduced the 
Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Act. This bill would allow 
physicians to prescribe what they consider to be most medically 
necessary treatments for Medicare beneficiaries within the 
comprehensive inpatient rehab setting.
  In 2010, Medicare narrowed its coverage options and limited 
therapeutic services to just physical therapy, occupational therapy, 
speech therapy, and orthotics and prosthetics. Meaning that if a doctor 
thought that a patient would be served by recreational therapy, it is 
currently not an option covered by Medicare. Well, that is wrong. 
Medicare coverage should support a patient's recovery plan as directed 
by their physician. Such therapies are intended to help those who have 
suffered a life-altering injury recover their functions and transition 
back to living a full life.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan commonsense bill.

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