Senate Staffer joins OT for ride-along home health visit

Tom Fritts, Regional Director for Indiana Senator Todd Young, joined Shawn Layman, OTR/L of Select Home Health & Hospice during a home health visit.

Tom Fritts, Regional Director for Indiana Senator Todd Young, joined Shawn Layman, OTR/L of Select Home Health & Hospice on a home health visit in Indianapolis to learn first-hand about the importance of occupational therapy services provided in the home. Home health occupational therapy focuses on improving self-reliance in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) with the goal of patients remaining safe and independent in their homes. The visit was the final one for the patient, so Layman completed the OASIS (Outcome & Assessment Information Set) evaluation which measures how well the individual has progressed during treatment at home. Occupational therapists have been completing the OASIS evaluation since 2022 after passage of the Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act, championed by Senator Young, which prompted CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) to revise its home health rule accordingly.

Occupational therapy is an important Medicare home health service along with nursing, PT and speech, although it cannot be provided to the patient at home if no other services are needed at the start of care. AOTA is advocating for passage of the Medicare Home Health Accessibility Act (HR2013) which would allow OT services to be provided in the home if that is the only service needed by the patient. The legislation has 26 bi-partisan House co-sponsors including many on the critical committees which have jurisdiction over Medicare issues. Visit AOTA’s advocacy website to ask your Representatives to support this legislation.