Congressmen Don Davis & Lloyd Smucker Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Cut Red Tape for Physical and Occupational Therapists
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressmen Don Davis (NC-01) and Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) introduced the bipartisan Remove Duplicative Unnecessary Clerical Exchanges Act (REDUCE Act) legislation cutting red tape for physical (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs), streamlining the delivery of care for patients recovering from debilitating injuries.
If passed, the legislation would ease burdensome plan of care (POC) requirements that currently prevent payment for physical therapy services until the therapy provider receives a physician-signed POC within 30 days of a first evaluation. Pursuant to the new care coordination model established in this bill, a PT or OT may simply submit the plan of care to the referring physician to satisfy the requirement. At the same time, a physician retains the authority to modify the PTs plan of care.
“The REDUCE Act is a game-changer for health care providers and patients alike,” said Congressman Davis. “The legislation delivers on its promise by cutting down on paperwork and removing unnecessary barriers to vital outpatient health care services. In eastern North Carolina and throughout rural America, physical and occupational therapists are crippled by red tape, unable to help our most vulnerable patients. If passed, this bill will increase access to health care while maintaining the existing supervisory structure between physicians and PTs.”
“Physical and occupational therapists work hard to help their patients recover. Unnecessary red tape should not impact their ability to assist patients. The REDUCE Act will ensure greater cooperation among physicians, physical, and occupational care providers and eliminate needless bureaucratic requirements. I thank Rep. Davis for introducing this legislation and will work to ensure its passage,” said Rep. Smucker.
“Our Members are in the business of caring for their communities,” said American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Private Practice President Mike Horsfield. The REDUCE Act will allow our members to spend more time with their patients rather than tracking down unnecessary paperwork.”
“This legislation would help relieve some of the pressure currently faced by occupational therapy practitioners in private practice, who have seen year-over-year cuts while operating costs increase,” said AOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association) President Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP. “The need to track down a physician signature, when a patient has already been referred to occupational therapy, potentially delays care, and adds unnecessary administrative costs that have nothing to do with the quality of care.”
“The American Physical Therapy Association is grateful for Rep. Davis’s leadership on this important bipartisan legislation to reduce the Medicare administrative burden on physical therapists,” said APTA President Roger Herr, PT, MPA. “Physical therapist practices are currently facing many challenges under Medicare, including cuts, increased red tape, and workforce shortages. The REDUCE Act is a great step toward helping therapists spend more time with their patients and less on unnecessary paperwork.”
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