Bill Details
S.717 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-02-25 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced Date
2025-02-25
Policy Area
Health
Committees
View committees (1)
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (1)
6
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would make it easier for Medicare patients to get heart and lung rehabilitation services. It expands who can order these programs, so not only doctors but also physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists could prescribe the exercise needed for cardiac and pulmonary rehab. It also updates the rules so cardiac rehab can be provided in an office setting instead of being tied to a physician’s office. The changes are meant to speed up access to these important recovery programs for people with heart or lung conditions.
- For cardiac rehabilitation, the bill lets Medicare accept orders from physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists.
- It changes the location rule for cardiac rehab by replacing “a physician’s office” with “the office setting,” which gives more flexibility in where care can be delivered.
- For pulmonary rehabilitation, the bill also allows these same health care professionals to prescribe the exercise program.
- The new rules would take effect 6 months after the bill is signed into law.
Official Summaries
Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2025
This bill expands coverage of cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under Medicare.
Specifically, the bill allows physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to administer these programs in their offices, prepare and sign treatment plans, and prescribe exercise.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 717 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 717
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand and expedite
access to cardiac rehabilitation programs and pulmonary rehabilitation
programs under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 25, 2025
Mrs. Capito (for herself and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand and expedite
access to cardiac rehabilitation programs and pulmonary rehabilitation
programs under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac
Rehabilitation Care Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. EXPANDING ACCESS TO CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMS AND
PULMONARY REHABILITATION PROGRAMS UNDER MEDICARE PROGRAM.
(a) Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs.--Section 1861(eee) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(eee)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking ``a
physician's office'' and inserting ``the office
setting''; and
(B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting after
``physician'' the following: ``(as defined in
subsection (r)(1)) or a physician assistant, nurse
practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those
terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5))'';
(2) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking ``physician-prescribed
exercise'' and inserting ``exercise prescribed by a physician
(as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or a physician assistant,
nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those
terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5))''; and
(3) in paragraph (5), by inserting after ``physician'' the
following: ``(as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or a physician
assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as
those terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5))''.
(b) Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs.--Section 1861(fff) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(fff)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``physician-prescribed
exercise'' and inserting ``exercise prescribed by a physician
(as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or a physician assistant,
nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as those
terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5))''; and
(2) in paragraph (3), by inserting after ``physician'' the
following: ``(as defined in subsection (r)(1)) or a physician
assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as
those terms are defined in subsection (aa)(5))''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply with respect to items and services furnished on or after the date
that is 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
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