Medicare Independent Living Act of 2007

S. 450 and HR 748, The Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007 - All provisions, passage. HR 1846, The Access to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Services Improvement Act of 2007 - Opposed based on quality, cost accountability, and scope of practice concerns. S. 1224 and HR 3269, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Advocated in support of the CHIP program and an expanded role for occuaptional therapy. H.R. 3162, Children's Health and Medicare Protections Act of 2007 (CHAMP) - Advocated for Medicare provision regarding therapy caps, 75% rule on inpatient rehabilitation facilities, SGR cuts and Medicaid provisions. S. 799 and H.R. 1621, The Community Choice Act - Supported all provisions. S. 578 and H.R. 1017, Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act - supported passage and maintaining Medicaid funding for school based administrative claiming and transportation services. H.R. 1809 and S. 2103, Medicare Independent Living Act - Supported the provision of improved access to mobility devices for people with disabilities. H.R. 4082 and S. 1980, Long-term Care Quality and Modernization Act of 2007 - Advocated for inclusion of occupational therapy in quality reporting. S. 932 and H.R. 1552, Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapist Act of 2007 - Advocated regarding impact on occupational therapy. H.R. 1663, Medicare Mental Health Modernization Act of 2007 - Advocated for passage and improved role for occupational therapy. S. 1628, Nurse Faculty and Physical Therapist Education Act of 2007 - Advocated for inclusion of occupational therapy loan repayment. H.R. 4248, Ensuring Medicare Access to Recreational Thearpy Act - Opposed findings language referring to functional capacities and worked to amend that language. HR 2642 (PL 110-252) Iraq War Supplemental Appropriations -Advocated for moratorium on Medicaid School-based Transportation and Administrative Claiming Costs and opposed elimination of reimbursement for rehab service option. No bill number - Medicaid Rehabilitation Services Proposed Rule - Before Congress advocated for moratorium; opposed proposal to restrict the reimbursement of services under the rehabilitation option. HR 5704, The Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act: Advocated for the promotion of occupational therapy in home health under Medicare. No bill number: Advocated and educated about the role of occupational therapy in mental health practice. HR 6331 and S 3101, Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers act of 2008 - Advocated for passage and inclusion of following provisions: Part B Outpatient therapy cap exceptions process extension, physician fee schedule update; reduction in copay for Medicare mental health provisions, and delay competitive bidding for DMEPOS; and PQRI. HR 5590, Medicare Oral Health Rehabilitative Enhancement Act - inclusion of occupational therapy coverage language. No bill number - Preserving Access to Medicare Act - advocated for passage and inclusion of Part B outpatient therapy cap exceptions process extension, physician fee schedule update, and physician quality review incentive (PQRI). HR 2231 and S 2931 - Medicare Access to Complex Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Act of 2007 - advocated for exemption of complex rehab from competitive bidding for DMEPOS. H.R. 7130 and S. 3631 - Medically Fragile Childrens Act of 2008 - Advocated for provision of occupational therapy. H.R. 6878 - Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Improvement Act of 2008 - Opposed due to negative impact on occupational therapy scope of practice and reimbursement.

Client expense: $80,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE

Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, HR. 6331, and related bills, HR 6252, S 3118, including provisions to fix the physician payment rate, delay Medicare competitive bidding, exempt complex rehab from competitive bidding (because of the impact of competitive bidding on people who need wheelchairs and other durable medical equipment) provide Medicare mental health parity, delay cuts to Medicare therapies, require Medicare Part D to cover certain drugs, strengthen CMS authority to require Part D plans to ensure broad coverage on prescription drug plan formularies, improve access to the Medicare Savings Program, eliminate Medicare Part D late enrollment penalties, limit out-of-poicket costs for dual eligibles and qualified Medicare beneficiaries, revise the definition of medically accepted indication for drugs, simplify and align Medicare low-income assistance programs, bring outdated asset limits in line with today's cost of living, improve outreach and participation for those currently eligible. HR 1845 and S. 1428 - Medicare Durable Medical Equipment Act of 2007 regarding competitive bidding for durable medical equipment (DME). S. 3144 and HR 6252 -- Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Acquisition Reform Act of 2007, to delay implementation of Medicare competitive bidding program. HR 2642 - Iraq War supplemental appropriation -- support provision to put a moratorium on certain Medicaid regulations. HR 5613 - Protecting Medicaid Safety Net -- support provision for moratoria on existing reguslations including those that would severely restrict rehabilitation and targeted case management. Medicare Independent Living Act (HR 1809/S 2103) to reverse Medicare regulations that restrict payment for power mobility devices (wheelchairs) to those needed "in the home" rather than in the community -- such as for going to work, school, grocery store, medical appointments, places of worship, and to accompany children to school and activities. Community Choice Act of 2007 (HR 1621/S 799) -- support Medicaid coverage of community based services such as personal care, activities of daily living, etc. Direct Support Professional's Fairness & Security Act (HR 1279) -- support equalization of wages between privately and publicly employed direct support professionals. Promoting Wellness for People with Disabilities Act of 2007 (S. 1050) -- support accessibility of medical examination and diagnostic equipment for people with disabilities. Letter to President Bush and Health & Human Services Secretary Leavitt urging CMS to change the policy in its directives of August 17, 2007 and May 7, 2008 in order to eliminate the hurdles for states to provide SCHIP (State Childrens Health Insurance Plan) coverage to uninsured children. HR 2642 -- supplemental appropriations for military consturction, Dept. of Veterans Affairs and related agencies for FY 08, including: Title III - GI bill -- Veterans Educational Assistance of 2008; Title V -- Medicaid provisions including amending the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 to extend moratorium on restrictions relating to Medicaid coverage or payment for rehabilitation services or school-based administration and school-based transportation, moratoria on specific Medicaird reguslations,

S. 450 and HR 748, The Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007 - All provisions, passage. HR 1846, The Access to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Services Improvement Act of 2007 - Opposed based on quality, cost accountability, and scope of practice concerns. S. 1224 and HR 3269, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Advocated in support of the CHIP program and an expanded role for occuaptional therapy. H.R. 3162, Children's Health and Medicare Protections Act of 2007 (CHAMP) - Advocated for Medicare provision regarding therapy caps, 75% rule on inpatient rehabilitation facilities, SGR cuts and Medicaid provisions. S. 799 and H.R. 1621, The Community Choice Act - Supported all provisions. S. 578 and H.R. 1017, Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act - supported passage and maintaining Medicaid funding for school based administrative claiming and transportation services. H.R. 1809 and S. 2103, Medicare Independent Living Act - Supported the provision of improved access to mobility devices for people with disabilities. H.R. 4082 and S. 1980, Long-term Care Quality and Modernization Act of 2007 - Advocated for inclusion of occupational therapy in quality reporting. S. 932 and H.R. 1552, Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapist Act of 2007 - Advocated regarding impact on occupational therapy. H.R. 1663, Medicare Mental Health Modernization Act of 2007 - Advocated for passage and improved role for occupational therapy. S. 1628, Nurse Faculty and Physical Therapist Education Act of 2007 - Advocated for inclusion of occupational therapy loan repayment. H.R. 4248, Ensuring Medicare Access to Recreational Thearpy Act - Opposed findings language referring to functional capacities and worked to amend that language. HR 2642 (PL 110-252) Iraq War Supplemental Appropriations -Advocated for moratorium on Medicaid School-based Transportation and Administrative Claiming Costs and opposed elimination of reimbursement for rehab service option. No bill number - Medicaid Rehabilitation Services Proposed Rule - Before Congress advocated for moratorium; opposed proposal to restrict the reimbursement of services under the rehabilitation option. HR 5704, The Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act: Advocated for the promotion of occupational therapy in home health under Medicare. No bill number: Advocated and educated about the role of occupational therapy in mental health practice. HR 6331 and S 3101, Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers act of 2008 - Advocated for passage and inclusion of following provisions: Part B Outpatient therapy cap exceptions process extension, physician fee schedule update; reduction in copay for Medicare mental health provisions, and delay competitive bidding for DMEPOS; and PQRI. HR 5590, Medicare Oral Health Rehabilitative Enhancement Act - inclusion of occupational therapy coverage language. No bill number - Preserving Access to Medicare Act - advocated for passage and inclusion of Part B outpatient therapy cap exceptions process extension, physician fee schedule update, and physician quality review incentive (PQRI). HR 2231 and S 2931 - Medicare Access to Complex Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Act of 2007 - advocated for exemption of complex rehab from competitive bidding for DMEPOS.

Protecting Medicaid Safety Net Act (HR 5613) - moratoria on existing regulations including those that would severely restrict rehabilitation and targeted case management. Medicare Independent Living Act (HR 1809/S2103) to reverse the Medicare regulation that restricts payment for power mobility devices (wheel chairs) to those needed "in the home" rather than in the community (such as for going to work, school, (continued) grocery store, pharmacy, medical appointments, places of worship, to vote, to accompany children to school). Community Choice Act of 2007 (HR 1621/S 799) -- to provide for Medicaid coverage of community based services such as personal care, activities of daily living, etc. Direct Support Professional's Fairness & Security Act (HR 1279) -- to equalize wages between privately and publicly employed direct support personnel. Promoting Wellness for People with Disabilities Act of 2007 (S. 1050) --- to promote accessibility of medical examination and diagnostic equipment for people with disabilities.

Client expense: $60,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA), State, Dept of (DOS)

S. 450 and HR 748, The Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007 - All provisions, passage. HR 1846, The Access to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Services Improvement Act of 2007 - Opposed based on quality, cost accountability, and scope of practice concerns. S. 1224, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Advocated in support of the CHIP program and an expanded role for occuaptional therapy. H.R. 3162, Children's Health and Medicare Protections Act of 2007 (CHAMP) - Advocated for Medicare provision regarding therapy caps, 75% rule on inpatient rehabilitation facilities, SGR cuts and Medicaid provisions. S. 799 and H.R. 1621, The Community Choice Act - Supported all provisions. S. 578 and H.R. 1017, Protecting Children's Health in Schools Act - supported passage and maintaining Medicaid funding for school based administrative claiming and transportation services. H.R. 1809 and S. 2103, Medicare Independent Living Act - Supported the provision of improved access to mobility devices for people with disabilities. H.R. 4082 and S. 1980, Long-term Care Quality and Modernization Act of 2007 - Advocated for inclusion of occupational therapy in quality reporting. S. 932 and H.R. 1552, Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapist Act of 2007 - Advocated regarding impact on occupational therapy. H.R. 1663, Medicare Mental Health Modernization Act of 2007 - Advocated for passage and improved role for occupational therapy. S. 1628, Nurse Faculty and Physical Therapist Education Act of 2007 - Advocated for inclusion of occupational therapy loan repayment. H.R. 4248, Ensuring Medicare Access to Recreational Thearpy Act - Opposed findings language referring to functional capacities and worked to amend that language. No bill number - Medicaid School-based Transportation and Administrative Claiming Costs - Before Congress, opposed elimination of reimbursement - advocated for a moratorium. No bill number - Medicaid Rehabilitation Services Proposed Rule - Before Congress advocated for moratorium; opposed proposal to restrict the reimbursement of services under the rehabilitation option. No bill number: Advocated for the promotion of occupational therapy in home health under Medicare (Note; introduced 4/3/08 ad H.R. 5704, The Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act.). No bill number: Advocated for payment fixes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. No bill number: Advocated and educated about the role of occupational therapy in mental health practice. No bill number: Advocated for an extension of the Medicare Part B Outpatient Therapy cap extension period.

Medicare Independent Living Act regarding power mobility devices (HR 1809 and S 2103). Medicare coverage of iBOT Mobility System (HR 2520 and S 1465). SCHIP reauthorization and Medicare package legislation (S 2499, HR 976, HR 3162, S 1893) including but not limited to provision to halt CMS from taking adverse administrative action or issue new Medicaid rule regarding rehabilitative services option, access to Medicaid rehabilitation and school-based services, comparative effectiveness research, cont

Client expense: $70,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA), State, Dept of (DOS)