AOTA Advocates for Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act (HR 1094)
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), current law limits the appropriate use of occupational therapy in the home health setting and negatively impacts outcomes for home health care recipients by barring clinically indicated and physician authorized services.
As an important step forward, newly proposed legislation would allow occupational therapists to conduct the initial assessment when there is a qualifying service on the physician order. This will allow home health agencies to more efficiently use their occupational therapists to meet patient needs.
Representatives John Lewis (D-GA) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart introduced legislation that would improve utilization of occupational therapy as a home health service under Medicare on February 13, 2009. The Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act (H.R.1094) is also actively supported by the National Association of Home Care and Hospice (NAHC), the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and was previously supported by the American Physical Therapy Association in the last Congress.
AOTA is working to build support for passage during the 111th Congress.
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