Call To Action

To: The Honorable _____________________ U.S. Senate Date: _____________________ Dear Senator, As a constituent, I am writing to urge you to cosponsor HR 43/S46, the Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act. HR 43/S46 addresses a repeal of the arbitrary therapy cap on Outpatient Rehabilitative Services. Enacted as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, this legislation limits access to therapy services without regard to clinical appropriateness of care, essentially limiting access financially, geographically, and functionally to the most vulnerable of Medicare beneficiaries, eventually shifting higher costs for the burden of increased care to family members or alternate settings. Furthermore, minimizing services and delaying care are more likely to require higher-cost interventions to maintain function, increase the risk for falls, and increase the incidence of medical co-morbidities such as skin breakdown, contractures, and cardiovascular complications. The recurrent passage of moratoriums and exceptions indicates Congressional recognition of this flawed policy, and repeal of the therapy caps to provide a long-term solution has had strong bipartisan support. Attached you will find several “Fox Remarkable Remarks,” comments from recipients of physical, occupational and speech therapy services who discuss the impact that these services had on their lives. At a time where the cost of healthcare is in the forefront of national focus, passage of this act will assure that your constituents have optimal access to these valuable services in the most cost effective manner. I strongly support HR 43/S46, and urge you to become a co-sponsor. Thank you for your consideration.

Name ___________________________ Signature ________________________ Address _________________________ _________________________

To: The Honorable _____________________ U.S. House of Representatives Date: _____________________ Dear Representative, As a constituent I am writing to urge you to cosponsor HR 43/S46, the Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act. HR 43/S46 addresses a repeal of the arbitrary therapy cap on Outpatient Rehabilitative Services. Enacted as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, this legislation limits access to therapy services without regard to clinical appropriateness of care, essentially limiting access financially, geographically, and functionally to the most vulnerable of Medicare beneficiaries, eventually shifting higher costs for the burden of increased care to family members or alternate settings. Furthermore, minimizing services and delaying care are more likely to require higher-cost interventions to maintain function, increase the risk for falls, and increase the incidence of medical co-morbidities such as skin breakdown, contractures, and cardiovascular complications. The recurrent passage of moratoriums and exceptions indicates Congressional recognition of this flawed policy, and repeal of the therapy caps to provide a long-term solution has had strong bipartisan support. Attached you will find several “Fox Remarkable Remarks,” comments from recipients of physical, occupational and speech therapy services who discuss the impact that these services had on their lives. At a time where the cost of healthcare is in the forefront of national focus, passage of this act will assure that your constituents have optimal access to these valuable services in the most cost effective manner. I strongly support HR 43/S46, and urge you to become a co-sponsor. Thank you for your consideration.

Name ___________________________ Signature ________________________ Address _________________________ _________________________