AgeWell Physical Therapy is committed to maintaining the highest quality of care for its clients. With the recent and forthcoming changes in Health Care, we want to do our best to keep you up to date as how these changes affect you, and our services. AgeWell maintains its membership with the AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSOCIATION (APTA) and in conjunction with that organization will make every effort to share developments on Health Care Reform with you. The following is a portion of the APTA's update for physical therapy professionals:

APTA's primary objective as health care reform evolved was to position physical therapy as a cost-effective, high-quality, and accessible solution. It is clear we have been successful in our efforts. This is thanks to APTA's political action committee (PT-PAC) and our coming together, APTA and its members, to build a strong grassroots advocacy initiative and provide a daily lobbying presence on Capitol Hill.

Over the past 15 months, many of sent e-mails, wrote letters, and made phone calls.

As a result of our advocacy efforts, HR 3590 contains several provisions that are consistent with APTA priorities. Highlights of a few of the APTA priorities included in HR 3590 are as follows:

• Extends the Therapy Cap Exceptions Process for 2010. Authorizes a 1-year extension of exceptions process to December 31, 2010.
• Authorizes Study of Direct Access Under Medicare. Creates the new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center, which specifically authorizes a study on innovative models of delivery in physical therapy, including direct access to physical therapists under Medicare.
• Advances the Physical Therapy Workforce. Includes physical therapy in the allied health recruitment and retention programs to address health care workforce issues.
• Provides Rural Payment Equity Under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Extends the Geographic Practice Cost Index floor of 1.0 for 2010.
• Establishes Rehabilitation as a Minimum Benefit. Authorizes rehabilitation and habilitation as required minimum health care benefits as part of the health care insurance exchange.
• Non-Discrimination. Includes strong non-discrimination language on benefits and providers as an essential element of insurance reform. This will allow patients to choose their providers and the full range of needed services, which is critical as we increase coverage and access to health care.
• Provides Guaranteed Issue, Renewal, and Choice. Eliminates the denial or rescission of coverage based on pre-existing conditions.