Federal Legislative Issues

HR 964  HR 964 Medicare to recogngize RTs to provide RT services under the home health benefit  43 Co-sponsors Increase due to PACT reps in DC in February

S 1440 & HR 4824  To provide Medicare coverage for cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation services  S (Senator Crapo)  17 co-sponsors  HR 4825(Rep. Pickering and Lewis)  7 co-sponsors

Medicare/Medicaid Legislation in 2006??  Not too likely  election year  short leg year  just made major cuts to MC/MC

Will Congress deal on Medicare Issues??  Good and bad  Bad -no vehicle for our bills  Good –can’t do more harm  Administration proposed budget calls for $39 billion+ in further cuts  including going to 13 month ownership of O2 equipment, from the just enacted 36 month bene ownership

COPD Congressional Caucus  Shines light on pulmonary issues  Higher profile if issue of pandemic flu becomes a reality

RTs and Military Officer Status  Congressman Ike Skelton (R-MO) requests DOD to study issue of RTs obtaining officer status.  Working with other armed services members of Congress to push the issue.

RTs in the Public Health Service  Public Health Service Corps Task force report to US Surgeon General  Recommends RTs with Bachelor degree and the RRT be commissioned Public Health Service Officers

PACT Meeting 2006  Over 100 RTs came to DC in February  Over 240 Capitol Hill visits  Put the face of RT on the Hill  Joint partnership of AARC and the State Societies  Thank you to the states for funding the travel costs  Thank you to your PACT members for taking the time