Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) aims to ensure timely access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs by expanding who may refer patients to these programs.
“This legislation will allow additional providers to order and supervise these programs sooner,” said Sen. Capito, “making it easier to ensure patients are able to access the care they need and deserve.”
Sen. Capito on June 9 introduced the Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2021, S. 1986, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to authorize physician assistants, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists to order cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation under Medicare and begin supervising such care in 2022, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Capito’s office.
“Over the past year, we have seen how vital access to quality health care is,” Sen. Capito said. “Never have cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation been needed more, but we continue to see that not nearly enough patients — especially those in rural and underserved areas — are receiving these services.”
“Ensuring timely access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs is critical to improving the lives of people who need cardiovascular care, especially in rural areas,” added Sen. Klobuchar.
If enacted, S. 1986 would build upon the Improving Access to Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Act, which was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 and authorized physician assistants, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists to supervise cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation beginning in 2024, the summary says.
The bill is supported by several organizations, including the American Heart Association, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, the American College of Cardiology, the American Nurses Association, the American Association for Respiratory Care, the American Academy of PAs, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, WomenHeart, and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association.