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CMS Issues Guidance on Therapy Cap Implementation
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published information on Medicare therapy caps on its Web site. The full instructions can be found at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/transmittals/comm_date_dsc.asp
Medicare beneficiaries receiving speech-language pathology, physical therapy, and occupational therapy will no longer be subject to the therapy cap when President Bush signed the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003 (H.R. 1) into law on December 8, 2003. As part of the final Medicare legislation, Congress suspended the cap effective the day the bill was signed, and puts in place a two-year moratorium until the end of 2005.
Speech-language pathologists are advised to hold their Part B claims until ASHA can provide detailed information on how CMS plans on implementing the halt in calculating beneficiaries' utilization of therapy services. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is expected to release formal guidance on the suspension of the therapy caps.
For additional information, please contact
Ingrida Lusis,
ASHA's Director of Health Care Regulatory Advocacy
e-mail at ilusis@asha.org or
800-274-2376, ext. 4482.
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