Medicare Bill Expected To Benefit PTs The recently passed $400 billion Medicare bill will likely provide an immediate positive impact on physical therapists, and will also remove obstacles to physical therapy services for seniors, according to the American Physical Therapy Association. The controversial Medicare Prescrip-tion Drug, Improvement and Moderniza-tion Act (HR1/S1), which represents the largest change in the Medicare program since it began in 1965, was signed by President Bush in early December. Besides adding a prescription drug benefit starting in 2006, the legislation immediately restores a moratorium preventing the enforcement of the $1,590 Medicare therapy cap through 2005, and will prevent a scheduled 4.5% cut in Medicare payments to physical therapists and other providers, replacing it with a 1.5% increase in payments next year and in 2005. “I’m very pleased that Congress heard our voice and took action to lift the therapy cap, prevent severe payment reductions, and move closer to providing direct access to physical therapists for Medicare beneficiaries,” says APTA President Ben F. Massey, Jr, PT, MA. “This legislation is a major step toward addressing the critical issues for physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and their patients.” The bill also requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (Med-PAC) to look at the impact of providing Medicare beneficiaries with direct access to physical therapists. In addition, it provides significant regulatory reforms and payment increases for physical therapists and other providers in rural areas. Other important provisions of the bill, according to APTA, include significant improvements to home health services—payments in rural areas would be boosted by 5% for home health services delivered from April 1, 2004, to April 1, 2005, with home health providers also receiving a payment increase through an update in the home health market basket rate. There will be an 18-month moratorium on specialty hospitals established on the self-referral whole hospital exemption for new specialty hospitals, and a freezing of durable medical equipment rates for 3 years, from January 1, 2004, to January 1, 2007. Rates for the top five services will be adjusted to reflect prices paid by Federal Employees Health Benefits Program plans. In addition, competitive bidding for the largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) will begin in 2007, phasing up to 80 MSAs in 2009, with competitive bidding prices applying nationwide for those selected services. Many Democrats, including Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass), expressed disagreement with the bill’s provisions to privatize parts of Medicare, while some Republicans opposed those same provisions for not going far enough. Democrats also opposed provisions allowing a gap in coverage of drug costs and prohibiting the government from negotiating prices. They warned that the bill could lead to cuts in state benefits for the poor and elimination of employer retiree health benefits. Surveys Show Positive Employment Picture for Trainers Two recent surveys by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), Dallas, revealed encouraging signs for certified athletic trainers (ATCs), including results that show a growing number of ATCs are finding career opportunities in hospitals, and that companies that hire on-site trainers reported reduced health care costs as the result of employing full-time trainers. Of 177 ATCs who listed hospitals as their primary site of employment, the majority cited the hospital market as a potentially good employment source. NATA noted that this market will improve as third-party reimbursement becomes more common. Those surveyed also reported that they are using the medical, educational, and athletic training skills they acquired during academic training, which contributes to job satisfaction. According to the survey, hospital-based ATCs earn more than those working in high schools or universities, in addition to working fewer hours. “This survey really shows the advantages of finding jobs at hospitals,” says Dondii Cummings, ATC, PA, who coordinated the report. “There is more opportunity for trainers in this environment, as well as more diversity in daily duties and greater job satisfaction.” The other recent survey by NATA looked at the costs and benefits for trainers working in occupational settings. It surveyed human resources staff, safety managers, and other corporate representatives. The responses unanimously showed that on-site training programs benefit companies and employees. All 75 respondents reported that hiring an ATC provided a positive return on investment, with 94% of those responding indicating that the severity of injuries has decreased by at least 25%. In addition, two thirds of companies responding indicated that adding ATCs has helped decrease restricted workdays and workers’ compensation claims for musculoskeletal disorders by more than 25%. Close to half of companies that hire ATCs to provide on-site rehabilitation reported that health care costs have decreased by more than 50% as a result. 4,000 Expected To Participate in Summer Paralympic Games
