Policy Options for Expanding Health Insurance Coverage

With APTA Comments

APTA submitted comments today in response to the Senate Finance Committee's May 14 policy options document titled "Expanding Health Care Coverage: Proposals to Provide Affordable Coverage to All Americans."

Related Links

FINANCE COMMITTEE DOCUMENT

APTA COMMENTS

May 22, 2009 9:30 AM - The association recommended
- including strong nondiscrimination safeguards and the prohibition of pre-existing conditions as part of insurance reform
- moving physical therapy, which currently is listed as an optional Medicaid benefit, to the mandated benefit category
- phasing out the Medicare disability waiting period
- repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate portion of the conversion factor for Medicare payments and the therapy caps
- including long term care services and supports in reform.

"Rehabilitation services are an efficient, effective way to reduce overall health care spending for individuals and therefore must be an essential element of a standard benefit package in any proposal to reform the insurance delivery system," said APTA.

Responding to the committee's recommendation for the promotion of prevention and wellness, APTA said that it is "encouraged by and supports the Committee's consideration of innovative programs, grants, and options to encourage healthy lifestyles. Physical therapists stand ready to assist in the transformation of our disease identification and treatment system to one that prevents these conditions and seeks strategies to better manage them at the point of most influence."