So if you have been following the proposed 10% cut in Medicare payments for physical therapy, you know that July 1st is the deadline for congress to push through legislation to stop the cuts. Since today is June 30th and we still don't see a solution, Medicare has stepped in to help. From APTA:
"To give Congress time to come to a solution on Medicare legislation, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will hold off processing claims for services provided during the first 10 days of July. If Congress does not act, these claims will still be subject to the cuts and caps." (http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=MedicareAdvocate&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=341&ContentID=48502)
Congress will be back in session on 7/7 to pick up where we left off before the 4th of July holiday. Be sure to stay active in this issue if you want to keep these cuts from happening. I know from many therapists I have spoken with that the amount Medicare covers for patients is already low, we've got to work together as an industry to insure it doesn't get any lower. If these cuts pass, you can expect to see fewer travel therapy jobs as a direct result.
Be sure to call your senator's offices to urge them to vote in favor of HR 6331. HR 6331 passed in the House of Representatives, but has yet to make it through senate. We only have a few days after the 4th of July to make this happen before Medicare claims from 7/1 through 7/10 get cut. Here is a link to help you spread the word, call your Senator ASAP!
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
