Home Health Qualifying Service
Occupational therapy is not fully recognized or used as a primary home health service under Medicare because of outdated limitations in Medicare laws.
Under current law, a patient must need and receive skilled nursing services, physical therapy, or speech-language pathology services before being allowed access to occupational therapy. This limits access to occupational therapy, as well as restrains home health agencies from fully using occupational therapists’ skills.
The Medicare Occupational Therapy Coverage Eligibility Act will be introduced in both the House and Senate during 2007, and AOTA will be working with Members of Congress and the Committees of Jurisdiction to make progress on this issue important to quality and efficiency for home health beneficiaries and agencies, as well as to the professional integrity of occupational therapy.
The bill will make occupational therapy a qualifying service for home health services under Medicare. AOTA is currently working to introduce a bill in both the House and Senate similar to H.R. 3022 introduced in the House during the 109th Congress by Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ).