New Legislation to Affect Physical, Speech Therapy Benefits for Medicare Recipients

<!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P {dollar amount is reached, the care stops for the
margin-bottom: 0.08in } A:link { color: #0000ff }remaining calendar year, although that dollar
-->amount resets every year on January 1. MARS
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) April 24, 2009will repeal the cap on therapy services for
–Legislation designed to remove Medicare'sMedicare beneficiaries if Congress takes action by
annual benefit cap on outpatient rehabilitationDecember 31, 2009.
services, including physical and speech therapy, 
could be acted on by Congress later this year.Proponents of the cap removal argue that the
 current process disrupts continuity of health care
"This is great for seniors on Medicare," said Alanservices for Medicare recipients and requires
Weinstock, an insurance broker atbeneficiaries reaching the therapy cap to choose
MedicareSupplementPlans, who indicates that, ifbetween stopping their necessary care or
passed, the legislation could benefit seniorscontinuing with the care and paying 100 percent
financially and improve their access to certainof the cost. The concern is that the caps can
types of health care.preclude seniors from getting the care they need
The Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Servicesto maintain a healthy quality of life.
(MARS) Act is designed to ease health care costs 
and improve health care access for seniorsWith the cap removed, seniors on Medicare and
confronting age-related diseases, such as heartMedicare supplement insurance plans (also known
disease, strokes, or Parkinson's. Currently seniorsas Medigap plans) will have far more freedom to
receiving outpatient rehabilitation services have ancontinue receiving much needed therapy services.
annual dollar limit of $1,840.00 for care. Once the