Take Action! Support the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2013 (HR 1310)

Are you a physical therapist?

Are you considering opening a physical therapy cash practice?

Do you belong to the APTA? (If not, you should)

Do you want ALL patients to be able to choose your practice when they need physical therapy?

Do you want your mother to be able to choose without limitation the best physical therapist for her when she needs one?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, it’s time for you to take action on this important legislation that was recently introduced.

This is important to you especially if you desire to own a a physical therapy cash practice because as it currently stands, unless you are Medicare provider you are prohibited from forming a private contract (accepting direct payment for your services) with Medicare beneficiaries if their condition is a “covered service.”  Most patients do not understand this when explained to them and it was something I was completely surprised by when initially opening my practice.

On March 21, 2013, Representative Tom Price (R-GA) introduced the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2013 (HR 1310), which would provide physical therapists with the ability to privately contract with Medicare beneficiaries.

This bill will allow physical therapists to “opt out” of participating in medicare and allow patients to pay directly for services provided by a physical therapist.  This is not an issue for physicians, occupational therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists or personal trainers.

Click Here to Take Action Now!

Currently as a physical therapist if you have a cash practice you can choose to be a medicare provider and not participate, which means you can only charge up to 115% of the medicare allowable amount and still requires you to file the paperwork and submit all charges to Medicare.  Your other option is to not see medicare patients for covered physical therapy services.

Through the APTA’s legislative action center you can email your representative, but I would also encourage you to print out a letter and mail it in on your letterhead.  Please Tweet, share on Facebook, post on Google+ and your other social networks.  This issue is not APTA’s top priority which makes it even more important to explode this on a grassroots level.

Click Here to Take Action Now!

Let’s put our voices together and stand up and be heard.

PS. If you are not a member of the APTA, please contact your congressional representative by phone and ask them to co-sponsor and support the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2013 (HR 1310), and if you feel compelled, join the APTA and the private practice section.  This is one of the only, and the largest, collective voice in government that physical therapist have today.