Source: APTA Feed. Use of this and other APTA websites constitutes acceptance of our Terms & Conditions. The cut has been finalized and is coming—unless Congress acts before the new year to prevent implementation. CMS says the reductions, which affect multiple providers to different extents, are driven by changes to reimbursement formulas for evaluation and management (E/M) services furnished by physicians and some other providers. In its own release, ASHA noted that speech-language pathologists face a 9% cut, “which would translate into significant reductions in therapy services for a range of communication, cognition, and swallowing problems common in seniors.”. Here’s a quick refresher: beginning January 1, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will reduce payments for certain provider types. A devastating 9% cut is coming to therapy providers billing Medicare Part B starting on January 1, 2021. We fought the bill when it was introduced and that was before 65% of private practice therapists saw their income decrease due to the pandemic. In the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, a 9% cut starting Jan. 1 was recommended for several Part B therapy services, such as physical and occupational therapy. Favorite things include murder mysteries, Lake Michigan and the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, future cuts … Use this prewritten template letter to add your voice by the September 27 deadline and strengthen our message even more. Senators push for a fix, support grows for a bill to offset the cuts, and APTA says keep the calls coming to Capitol Hill. Despite the enormous value of these healthcare services, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to make significant payment cuts to 33 specialty services on January 1, 2021 – including deep, across-the-board 9% payment cuts to physical and occupational therapy. Date: September 16, 2019 CMS recently came down with its final ruling on the Physician Fee Schedule, which is going to cut Medicare reimbursements for physical therapy … © Skilled Nursing News What we're doing—and what you can do (before September 27)We're preparing a formal comment letter to CMS, but that's just a part of APTA's efforts. The cut to Part B therapy rates stems from the need to keep the Physician Fee Schedule budget-neutral, meaning that CMS can only spend a certain amount on services paid under the schedule per year. Cuts to reimbursement for therapy providers servicing Medicare patients doesn’t just hurt the company’s bottom line; it hurts patients too. This will be the fourth proposed cut to PT and conservative care in the past 24 months and many practices are struggling financially with a national average profit margin of 4%. CMS has finalized the physician fee schedule for 2020 that includes cuts to physical therapists. All contents © 2020 American Physical Therapy Association. Time to Act: CMS Proposes Significant 8% Cut to Physical Therapy in 2021, Use this prewritten template letter to add your voice, Proposed 2020 Physician Fee Schedule (see table 111, p 1187). physical therapist assistant/occupational therapy assistant coding modifier plan, #FightTheCut on Capitol Hill: Momentum Builds for Legislative Remedy to 9% Cut, More Content, Lower Cost: APTA CSM 2021 Makes Leaving 2020 Behind Even Sweeter, Direct Access Once Again Boosted by National Policy Organization, For Advertisers, Exhibitors, and Sponsors. "The changes to reimbursement for office/outpatient E/M codes itself are positive ones and we fully support access to primary care services, but the idea that these changes must be accompanied by deep cuts to other crucial services is outrageous," said Kara Gainer, APTA's director of regulatory affairs. The big picture: a proposed 8% cut in Medicare reimbursement for physical therapy providers in 2021Deep within the proposed 2020 PFS, CMS reveals a plan that puts Medicare beneficiary access to physical therapy at risk by way of an estimated 8% cut to fee schedule reimbursement in 2021. "At a time when our aging population is in need of greater access to physical therapy, with its proven benefits and track record for reducing overall costs, CMS has instead decided to turn its back on the facts and put patients at risk.". The group is just one of many representing healthcare providers that are facing potential cuts proposed by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The federal government is proposing a range of reductions to Medicare reimbursement for various Part B therapy services as part of its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for the calendar year 2021, including physical, occupational and speech-language services in skilled nursing facilities. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed an 8% cut in physical therapy rates in the final Physician Fee Schedule for calendar 2020 — with some therapy teams already planning to fight the therapy decrease to help Medicare B recipients receive full benefits in January 2021, when the reduction is slated to take effect. In addition to the sign-on letters described above, APTA and several other provider associations will meet with CMS officials in mid-September to share concerns and provide recommendations on a range of issues related to the PFS. The reimbursement rate is set by the Medicare program and given to medical providers for caring for Medicare beneficiaries. The fee schedule was announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of a proposal to permanently extend some telehealth waivers. “Physical therapy providers, occupational therapy providers, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists are facing between a 7% and 9% cut to Medicare payment, despite ongoing advocacy with Congress, the Department of Health and Human Services, CMS, and the Office of Management and Budget,” the groups said. This table shows that therapy services, including occupational therapy and physical therapy, could see up to an 8% total decrease in reimbursement based on the adjustments for budget neutrality. Physical Therapy And Occupational Therapy Will Be Subject To A Large Payment Cut. There were some upsides for therapists within the proposal: If finalized, maintenance therapy can be provided by therapy assistants, Morton noted, a move that would making permanent a pandemic-era waiver. APTA's message to CMS: significant cuts to fee schedule reimbursement for physical therapy providers will put challenging and likely unsustainable financial pressures on physical therapists (PTs), particularly in rural and underserved areas where access is already limited. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently approved fee changes for 2021 involving extensive cuts to services that affect individuals with vestibular conditions. For physical therapy, the cuts are estimated at 8% with additional cuts estimated for audiology, social work, chiropractic care, and many other disciplines. “We want to keep people safe. CMS has revealed a plan to make significant cuts to Medicare reimbursement for PTs on the physician schedule for 2021. “Right now, we’re struggling to find therapists,” she said. Skilled Nursing News is the leading source for news and information covering the skilled nursing industry. According to Morton, the 9% cut is actually an increase over an earlier estimate where the cut came in at 8%. Today’s article from Physical Therapy patient, Colleen Rapp. We’ve been trying to, in many instances, utilize telehealth in order to keep the avenue of access open to patients, to keep services flowing to get them better. What's nextDeadline for comments is September 27, and the final rule will likely be issued by November 1. Medicare changed its payment policy for physical, occupational and speech therapy in skilled nursing facilities Oct. 1, 2019, moving to a new system called … Providers who have not already done so are encouraged … A Patient’s Perspective on the 8% Medicare Cuts. In Physical Therapy Articles, Public Service and Public Relations by Editor November 15, 2019 Leave a Comment. 3 • Physical Therapy (PT) • Occupational Therapy (OT) • Speech and Language Pathology (SP) All Therapy Services (PT,OT,SP) 4 Therapy services may be covered under: In its 2020 fee schedule ruling, CMS didn't say what the adjustment to the conversion factor would be but estimated it would lead to an overall negative combined impact on physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology of 8%. ", For Advertisers, Exhibitors, and Sponsors | For Media. Time to Act: CMS Proposes Significant 8% Cut to Physical Therapy in 2021 Last week, CMS issued its annual final rule, which finalized the proposed 8% cut to outpatient Medicare payments for physical therapy and occupational therapy services. As more PTs feel this pressure and opt out of treating Medicare beneficiaries—or close their doors altogether—patient access to care will suffer. Trending with previous years, the proposed final rule was late this year – coming in August instead of July when it normally comes in. A new multiple procedure payment reduction (MPPR) will reduce payments by 7%-9% to therapy services, […] APTA’s message to CMS: significant cuts to fee schedule reimbursement for physical therapy providers will put challenging and likely unsustainable financial pressures on PTs. The agency proposed the cuts to offset increases to payments for primary care physicians, according to a release from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Make sure you get your comments to CMS by the September 27 deadline (the template letter includes instructions on how to submit to CMS). “CMS … as far as we can tell, hasn’t really taken into account that nursing facilities bill the majority of PT and OT and speech therapy codes,” Morton told Skilled Nursing News on Tuesday. With the release of the proposed 2021 fee schedule, CMS estimates the cuts will be closer to 9%. Medicare cuts will reduce physical therapy reimbursements by 9% as of January 1st. We've created a customizable template letter that makes it easy to let CMS know how these proposed cuts will pose a real danger to Medicare beneficiaries and negatively impact PTs' ability to practice under Medicare. Under the proposed fee schedule, Medicare Part B reimbursement for physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) would see an overall reduction of 9%, and though it’s not clear where speech would fall under the changes, it’s concerning for therapists already grappling with the pandemic, according to Cynthia Morton, executive vice president for the National Association for the Support of Long-Term Care (NASL). Oppose CMS Cuts to Physical Therapy Greetings all, It has been and continues to be a challenging time in all of our lives in many ways. Now, the pending cuts feel like salt in a very open wound. Even more important, we're urging APTA members to bring their individual voices to bear on this issue. In a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), APTQI objected to the drastic payment cuts to physical and occupational therapists outlined in the 2021 PFS proposed rule.We stand with over 40 other specialty organizations representing millions of healthcare professionals in our belief that Medicare should not cut health services in the middle of an … CMS is asking for comment on whether some of the therapy codes that could be provided through telehealth during the public health emergency should continue to be allowed through that method for the rest of the year. The first addresses the problematic physical therapist assistant/occupational therapy assistant coding modifier plan, and is still available for download. American Occupational Therapy Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, National Association for the Support of Long-Term Care, ProMedica Senior Care’s Parker Sees Growth Ahead — Even as ‘Major Disruption’ Looms for Industry in Early ’21, PointClickCare to Buy Collective Medical in $650M Deal as COVID Exposes Flaws of Post-Acute Silos, Parkinson to Govs: Vaccinate All Nursing Home Residents and Staff by March 1, But No Employee Mandates Yet. If you haven't yet completed and submitted that letter, you can combine it with the letter on the reimbursement cuts. [Editor’s Note: Response to CMS about the proposed PFS has been strong, and the more comments CMS receives the more likely they are to consider our recommendations. On Jan. 1, Medicare plans to make significant payment cuts to therapists and over 30 other specialty providers, some as high as 11%, despite bipartisan opposition. The CMS proposal also increases payment cuts to some specialty providers, which many medical groups already are sounding the alarm over. We've created a customizable template letter that makes it easy to let CMS know how these proposed cuts will pose a real danger to Medicare beneficiaries and negatively impact PTs' ability to practice under Medicare. Upcoming Medicare physical therapy cuts could impact patients’ access to care in major ways. The Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation (APTQI) expresses disappointment in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Calendar Year (CY) 2020 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Payment System Final Rule, which imposes an 8% Medicare cut to physical and occupational therapy services starting in 2021. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) calls for cuts to its Medicare physician fee schedule (PFS) reimbursement for physical therapy providers by 8 percent beginning in 2021. Contact: news@apta.org The NASL has asked for a postponement of the cuts, Morton said, as the SNF sector cannot sustain the cuts to therapy that the proposed reduction would entail. Physical and occupational therapy has been proven time and time again to be an effective means of treatment that increases the efficiency of care and lowers hospital readmission rates. Receive industry updates and breaking news from SNN. CMS has finalized its calendar 2021 physician pay rule, which cuts physical and occupational therapy payments for nursing home patients by 9%. The cuts, expected to be 6% for audiologists and 9% for speech-language pathologists, and physical therapy and occupational therapy practitioners, … This cut is going to make that very, very difficult.”, American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Association for the Support of Long-Term Care. 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