Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a Department of Defense funding bill that addressed the pressing concern over the proposed cut in the Medicare physician fee schedule. The bill included a 60-day temporary physician payment fix, which would prevent a 21.2 percent payment cut from going into effect through February 28, 2010. The bill has been sent to the Senate for its consideration. Without congressional action, the fee schedule cut would go into effect January 1, 2010.

 

Unfortunately, the bill did not include an extension of the therapy cap exceptions process. The House Rules Committee stripped several Medicare provisions from the bill before clearing it for floor consideration.

 

NASL is working with other therapy stakeholder organizations in seeking other legislation that could serve as a vehicle for extending the therapy cap exceptions process before the end of the year.