A bipartisan bill sponsored on Feb. 26 by U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) would permit qualified and experienced healthcare professionals to provide patients with timely access to therapeutic shoes for individuals with diabetes being served by Medicare.
“The United States must provide high-quality care for individuals with diabetes,” said Rep. LaHood. “Over one million Illinoisians currently live with diabetes. We cannot allow these individuals to experience a gap in care because of burdensome regulations.”
Under current law, only physicians are authorized to prescribe access to therapeutic shoes for individuals with diabetes being served by Medicare.
The congressman introduced the Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act, H.R. 1616, alongside U.S. Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA) to allow physician assistants and nurse practitioners to order therapeutic shoes for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes, and to permit these healthcare professionals to fulfill documentation requirements for coverage of therapeutic shoes under Medicare.
“Many Medicare patients with diabetes face barriers in our healthcare system that make it harder to access the treatment they need — costing the program millions,” said Rep. Barragán. “That’s why I am proud to join Rep. LaHood in co-leading the Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act, which will improve access to care for patients whose primary provider is a nurse practitioner or physician assistant.”
The American Academy of Physician Associates and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners endorsed the bill, which has been referred for consideration to both the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee and the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee.