AHCA/NCAL has joined forces with a coalition of organizations representing providers that furnish outpatient therapy services under Medicare Part B advocating for Congress to repeal the outdated and unjustified Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR) policy. In March 17 letters to the
Senate Finance Committee, and
House Energy and Commerce Committee, the coalition letters highlight that the MPPR payment cut policy was implemented in 2011 as a short-term “pay-for” and should be eliminated as a part of any reforms that Congress is considering making to the broader Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS).
The letter also emphasizes the current disconnect between the flawed MPPR payment policy and the true cost to provide care, as well as the negative impacts on beneficiary access to therapy care under Medicare Part B including the following:
“As applied, this MPPR policy penalizes providers, both office-based therapists and facility-based providers, when scheduling complex interventions within one therapy discipline requiring different equipment and supplies for each procedure, and across multiple therapy disciplines on the same date. This disproportionately affects beneficiaries in rural and medically underserved communities, where transportation issues may require multiple therapy services to be delivered on the same day to reduce the need for repeat clinic visits.
At its core, MPPR discourages services that help Medicare beneficiaries remain independent. Rehabilitation services are often delivered through coordinated, interdisciplinary treatment plans designed to restore function, prevent disability, and allow patients to remain independent in their homes and communities. The MPPR policy undermines these goals by discouraging the efficient delivery of multiple therapy disciplines on the same day and creating financial disincentives for coordinated care.”
In addition to AHCA/NCAL, the therapy coalition letter was signed by the following organizations: ADVION, Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation, American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association, American Speech-Hearing-Language Association, APTA Private Practice, Athletico, National Association of Rehabilitation Providers and Agencies, and Select Medical.