Congressional therapy champions reintroduce bill to make occupational therapy practitioners permanent telehealth providers
Representatives Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) and Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) reintroduced the Expanded Telehealth Access Act (H.R. 3875) on June 6. This bill would enable occupational therapy practitioners to provide occupational therapy (OT) services to Medicare beneficiaries via telehealth beyond December 2024 when current waivers enacted by Congress will expire. The legislation would permanently add occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants as Medicare telehealth providers along with physical therapists and speech-language-pathologists which is essential as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has indicated that it does not have the authority to do so on its own.
“Occupational therapy has long recognized the critical role environment plays in health and wellness, including the virtual environment. Waivers issued by CMS authorizing occupational therapy professionals to provide services to Medicare beneficiaries via telehealth illuminated the substantial impact occupational therapy can provide through the virtual environment. Not only did the waivers provide an opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries to receive effective occupational therapy intervention in new environments, but occupational therapy was able to actualize the use of telehealth to reduce or remove barriers to care,” said Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP, President, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). “AOTA champions the bi-partisan efforts of Representatives Sherrill and Harshbarger to ensure that the provision of occupational therapy delivered via telehealth will remain an option for Medicare beneficiaries on a permanent basis.”
Representative Sherrill’s district includes Morristown, Parsippany, and other towns in northern New Jersey. She notes that “the use of telehealth services during the pandemic demonstrated the pivotal role technology can play in improving health equity. For vulnerable populations, especially those with compromised immune systems or in areas far from a provider, this type of access to health care can be a lifeline.” Rep. Sherrill also notes that “while the public health emergency is over, the need for telehealth services is not. With this legislation, we are protecting Medicare recipients by ensuring these essential services are covered by their health insurance.”
Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger’s district covers East Tennessee. “The rapid adoption of telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries during the Covid pandemic enabled patients to continue therapy and other treatments they otherwise might not have access to,” said Congresswoman Harshbarger. “It is critical that Congress acts to allow seniors to continue such services permanently after special waivers expire in 2024. This is especially important for people living in rural and underserved areas, where a trip to seek specific treatments may entail a long journey. This bill will enable seniors to continue receiving quality, accessible care, delivered in the most efficient way possible.”
Occupational therapy practitioners were not eligible to provide services to Medicare beneficiaries via telehealth until Congress enacted, and CMS implemented, waivers in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. These public health emergency (PHE) waivers expired on May 11; however, Congress had already enacted legislation that allows OT practitioners and other therapists to continue as Medicare telehealth providers through the end of 2024. AOTA continues to engage with CMS to clarify that these extended waivers apply in all settings where OT services are provided.
This rapid expansion of telehealth to deliver OT services during and after the PHE enabled occupational therapy practitioners to demonstrate the clear value of these services provided alone or in conjunction with in-person services. Telehealth has been especially beneficial for people in rural and other underserved areas and to those for whom travel to receive services was already a barrier to access, including people with disabilities. Occupational therapy practitioners report that telehealth has reduced delays to care while making it easier to connect with beneficiary caregivers and enabling easier identification of home safety issues. This can be crucial in preventing falls, addressing functional decline, and avoiding costly emergency room visits and hospital admissions which, in turn, can reduce the cost of care.
AOTA members and occupational therapy advocates are encouraged to contact their Representative urging them to co-sponsor H.R. 3875 by visiting AOTA’s Legislative Action Center using the button below. AOTA will continue to work with Congressional champions to ensure that occupational therapy is included when Congress addresses this issue.
Contact Congress and ask your legislators to Co-Sponsor H.R. 3875 today!