Under current Medicare regulations, physical and occupational therapists must secure physician signature on each patient’s plan of care even if the patient already has a signed physician referral. If the physician fails to sign the paperwork within 30 days, the therapist is at risk for not receiving reimbursement by Medicare. 

This lengthy, cumbersome, and duplicative process means staff must dedicate hours to tracking down a physician signature, which ultimately, takes valuable time away from direct patient care.

Paperwork should not get in the way of providing medically necessary care. Fortunately, Congress has taken notice and is working to address this problem. 

Reps. Don Davis and Lloyd Smucker just introduced the Remove Duplicative Unnecessary Clerical Exchanges (REDUCE) Act (H.R. 7279) to reduce the unnecessary burden on providers.  If passed, the bipartisan bill would allow the plan of care to be deemed certified as long as it is submitted to the physician within 30 days.  The physician will still have the ability to amend and return the plan of care if they deem it necessary, but they will not have the burden of needing to sign and return it if they are satisfied with the plan. 

Email your House lawmaker today urging them to support the REDUCE Act!