NASL, 12/14/2011
Last night, the House of Representatives passed HR 3630 “The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011″ by a vote of 234 to 193. The bill contains many provisions including a payroll tax cut, the Keystone oil pipeline, a fix of the SGR cut for two years therefore stabilizing the physician fee schedule, and a two year extension of the therapy cap exceptions process. The exceptions process is modified in two ways. First, the bill adds a layer of review once therapy costs reach $3,700 for PT and SLP and $3,700 for OT (we do not know yet the details of this review). Second, the NPI of the physician reviewing the therapy plan of care must be included on the claim.
The bill has to be paid for according to House rules. The extension of the exceptions process is paid for by including hospital outpatient therapy under the therapy cap. There are significant cuts to hospitals in the bill. Nursing homes are subject to a phase down of their ability to get reimbursement for bad debt. In addition to all of this, the President has said he would veto the House bill if it was sent to him in this form.
The action now turns to the Senate. Conversations with Senate Finance staffers this morning revealed that action on the Senate bill could extend to late next week. The Senate could draft a very different bill with a different approach to the exceptions process including a one year extension of the exceptions process. We support a two year extension with a clean exceptions process just as it is now. Continued grassroots communications with your Senators is necessary to keep the pressure on the Senate to deal with this issue before December 31st!
Your Advocacy Voice for Quality in Long Term and Post Acute Care – www.NASL.org via Article Details.
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