Therapy Caps for 2010
The following article is complements of AOTA. www.aota.org
Slow Senate Debate and Failure to Pass Temporary Extension Causes the Therapy Caps for 2010 until Health Reform is Passed
The Senate's inability to pass health reform legislation in a timely manner has caused the therapy cap to remain unaddressed in 2009. The House has recessed for the year removing the possibility of a short term extension to bridge the gap between January 1 , 2010 and when Congress will finally pass reform legislation, which is expected to be late January 2010.
The House did pass a 60-day extension to the fee schedule avoiding the 21.2% cut from taking place on January 1, 2010. The Senate must vote on this provision which was attached to the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations bill and is expected to pass it today or tomorrow which will avoid Medicare payment cuts until February 28, 2010. Congress is expected to pass health care reform legislation that will provide a 2 year extension to the fee schedule fix and the therapy cap exceptions process in late January, which is why Congress passed such a short extension to the fee schedule fix. If Congress fails to pass health reform legislation by February, AOTA will be working with our partners in the rehab community to see that the Cap is included in any Medicare bill that is passed before the February 28 deadline.
The therapy caps for 2010 is set for $1860 in and will hopefully be addressed before the State of the Union speech in late January. Practitioners should be aware that the cap will be in place on January 1 and be sure to notify clients if they begin to near the cap. Again, action to extend the exceptions process is likely around the end of January which would reduce the impact on beneficiaries and practitioners alike.