New legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that, if signed into law, would boost patient access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation (CR/PR) programs under Medicare.
The Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2021 was introduced by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, and Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota. The bill has widespread support from both parties—as well as the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (AHA)—and was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives back in March.
The legislation would update current policies so that advanced practice providers such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners could supervise day-to-day rehabilitation beginning in 2002 instead of 2024, when that change is scheduled to go into effect.
“Over the past year, we have seen how vital access to quality health care is,” Capito said in a prepared statement. “Never have cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation been needed more, but we continue to see that not nearly enough patients—especially those in rural and underserved areas—are receiving these services. This legislation will allow additional providers to order and supervise these programs sooner, making it easier to ensure patients are able to access the care they need and deserve.”
“Ensuring timely access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs is critical to improving the lives of people who need cardiovascular care, especially in rural areas,” added Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will expand who can refer patients to these programs, helping connect more people to the care they need and ensuring they get that care faster.”
Nancy Brown, CEO of the AHA, also made a statement in support of the legislation, noting that these rehabilitation programs can lower an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease-related death by as much as 26 percent.
“Despite these benefits, participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs remains low,” Brown said. “This legislation would increase access and bridge the gap between referral and the start of CR/PR and help Medicare patients more equitably access proven services to help improve their health outcomes.”
Read the latest information on the bill’s progress here.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.