AOTA recommends healthcare policy changes to Congressional committees

AOTA has submitted comments to the House Ways and Means Committee (W&M), House Budget Committee (HBC), and the Senate Finance Committee (SFC) in response to formal requests for Medicare policy recommendations. W&M sought policy suggestions related to healthcare in rural and medically underserved areas; HBC sought proposals that would bend the cost curve to reduce overall healthcare spending; and SFC sought input on telehealth policy.

AOTA's comments to the HBC included recommendations to implement innovative occupational therapy-based programs such as the Community Aging in Place & Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) model which would have significant impact on reducing Medicare spending by enabling Medicare beneficiaries to reduce ER visits and hospitalizations related to safety issues in the home. In addition, AOTA touted programs such as Skills2Care and COPE which are designed to support clients with dementia and their caregivers in the home which can reduce the need for costlier interventions.

Comments to the W&M Committee focused on legislation such as the EMPOWER Act (H.R.4878/S.2459) which would standardize supervision requirements for OTAs by OTs and the importance of extending Congressional waivers to allow for the provision of OT via telehealth in Medicare beyond December 2024.

AOTA's comments to the SFC also addressed the importance of telehealth with an emphasis on the ability of occupational therapy practitioners to take a virtual tour of a client's home to identify safety issues which would be impossible in a clinical setting.

Congressional Committees are responsible for developing legislation in areas under their jurisdiction, and they routinely solicit input from organizations such as AOTA when considering policy changes. AOTA's formal input now will ensure that Representatives and Senators who serve on these committees as well as committee staff are aware of the importance of OT when developing policies for Medicare beneficiaries.

Contact Andy Bopp, AOTA's Senior Legislative Representative, at abopp@aota.org for more information on these filings.