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Hey guys,
I am more of a lurker on this board than a contributor, although this place has been an invaluable source for me since my residency hunt began a little over four years ago (edit 5!! i just looked at my join date!!). I joined PM&R as a result of the vast amount of knowledge available here. The newbies on here don't know what a great resource they have. Anyways, Our hospital along with the other rehab hospitals in Chicago are involved in the legislation that affects how rehab is practiced. This has gone out to the various residencies in Chicago but I thought that there could a bigger audience here. I am sorry for the short notice but I just thought of it last night. This has to reach our legislators 6/22. Read through it and decide if you want to participate. It affects us as physiatrists and I felt that it is important enough to bring it to the attention of this forum.
I will attach the letter that we used at the end and you can cut and paste it and use it as your own template.
Thanks!
Rehabilitation Hospitals needs your help today to contact federal legislators who have not yet signed on to legislation to alter the current "75% Rule" regulations. We are asking you to be part of a grassroots campaign to address the enforcement and realignment of the 75% Rule.
Our grassroots efforts are critical to the success of our lobbying efforts. We urgently need the help of every associate in contacting their member of congress to further encourage support for the efforts to protect patient access to inpatient rehabilitation by supporting the House or Senate Bill.
The two Bills that have been introduced in the legislation are: House Bill H.R 1459, introduced by Reps. Tanner, Hulshof, Lowey, and LoBindo and Senate Bill S. 543, introduced by Sens. Nelson, Bunning, Stabenow, and Snowe.
Background
By enforcing the ‘75% Rule' for justification for inpatient rehabilitation, CMS (the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) will likely cause up to 40% of the nation's inpatient rehabilitation beds to close their doors, limiting the number of available beds and limiting the beds in programs with specialty areas in rehab medicine.
PLEASE NOTE: This is an issue that will impact YOU and YOUR chosen speciality and how you practice medicine in the future. The nursing home lobbyists have been promoting the enforcement of the 75% rule because they feel "nursing home admissions are the same as actue inpatient rehab and there is NO NEED FOR PHYSIATRY SERVICES because they can handle it.
Action Requested:
We are asking that you send the ATTACHED LETTER to your representative TODAY (no later than 6/22/2007)
Please follow the instructions listed below:
· Address the EMAIL letter to your representative and add your signature.
· Send the letter from your personal email account or on your own personal letterhead.
· Follow-up your emails with a phone call to your representative's office. Use the letter as your talking points.
· Encourage other associates, family members and friends to also join our grassroots campaign.
You can find your representative by clicking on the link below and entering your zip code. (If the link does not work, please type the web address into your browser). You will need your zip +4 code to find your representative.
http://www.house.gov/
Thank you in advance for your efforts.
The letter:
June XX, 2007
[INSERT]
Dear:
Rehabilitation hospitals provide post acute physical rehabilitation care for patients who have experienced strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and other conditions that result in permanent or temporary disabilities. Physical rehabilitation allows patients to reach their highest functional independence and return to home, work or school at a faster rate than treatments provided elsewhere.
Unfortunately, A CMS policy, commonly referred to as the "75% Rule", limits access for patients because of a severe restriction imposed by CMS requiring rehab hospitals to only admit patients who are diagnosed with certain medical conditions. This artificial criteria creates an unnecessary admissions "quota system" and causes rehabilitation facilities like Marianjoy to deny or delay a patient admission rather than giving them appropriate access because of medical necessity.
As you are already aware, continued conformity with the 75% Rule continues to move forward. The CMS requirement as of June 1, 2007, is that Marianjoy and other rehabilitation providers be 65% compliant with the Rule. For the last year, we have been attempting to balance the number of qualified patients while attempting to meet the discharge planning needs of patients.
On behalf of your constituents with disabilities, I am asking you to support legislation to protect patient access to inpatient rehabilitation by co-sponsoring House Bill H.R. 1459, or Senate Bill S. 543 to "Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation".
The 75% Rule has forced us to move from concentrating on the selection of patients, who can benefit from rehabilitation services, to the day-to-day mechanics of managing compliance under the Rule.
I urgently ask for your help to resolve this issue. The 75% Rule is not only a problem for Marianjoy but for patients across the country. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[INSERT]
I am more of a lurker on this board than a contributor, although this place has been an invaluable source for me since my residency hunt began a little over four years ago (edit 5!! i just looked at my join date!!). I joined PM&R as a result of the vast amount of knowledge available here. The newbies on here don't know what a great resource they have. Anyways, Our hospital along with the other rehab hospitals in Chicago are involved in the legislation that affects how rehab is practiced. This has gone out to the various residencies in Chicago but I thought that there could a bigger audience here. I am sorry for the short notice but I just thought of it last night. This has to reach our legislators 6/22. Read through it and decide if you want to participate. It affects us as physiatrists and I felt that it is important enough to bring it to the attention of this forum.
I will attach the letter that we used at the end and you can cut and paste it and use it as your own template.
Thanks!
Rehabilitation Hospitals needs your help today to contact federal legislators who have not yet signed on to legislation to alter the current "75% Rule" regulations. We are asking you to be part of a grassroots campaign to address the enforcement and realignment of the 75% Rule.
Our grassroots efforts are critical to the success of our lobbying efforts. We urgently need the help of every associate in contacting their member of congress to further encourage support for the efforts to protect patient access to inpatient rehabilitation by supporting the House or Senate Bill.
The two Bills that have been introduced in the legislation are: House Bill H.R 1459, introduced by Reps. Tanner, Hulshof, Lowey, and LoBindo and Senate Bill S. 543, introduced by Sens. Nelson, Bunning, Stabenow, and Snowe.
Background
By enforcing the ‘75% Rule' for justification for inpatient rehabilitation, CMS (the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) will likely cause up to 40% of the nation's inpatient rehabilitation beds to close their doors, limiting the number of available beds and limiting the beds in programs with specialty areas in rehab medicine.
PLEASE NOTE: This is an issue that will impact YOU and YOUR chosen speciality and how you practice medicine in the future. The nursing home lobbyists have been promoting the enforcement of the 75% rule because they feel "nursing home admissions are the same as actue inpatient rehab and there is NO NEED FOR PHYSIATRY SERVICES because they can handle it.
Action Requested:
We are asking that you send the ATTACHED LETTER to your representative TODAY (no later than 6/22/2007)
Please follow the instructions listed below:
· Address the EMAIL letter to your representative and add your signature.
· Send the letter from your personal email account or on your own personal letterhead.
· Follow-up your emails with a phone call to your representative's office. Use the letter as your talking points.
· Encourage other associates, family members and friends to also join our grassroots campaign.
You can find your representative by clicking on the link below and entering your zip code. (If the link does not work, please type the web address into your browser). You will need your zip +4 code to find your representative.
http://www.house.gov/
Thank you in advance for your efforts.
The letter:
June XX, 2007
[INSERT]
Dear:
Rehabilitation hospitals provide post acute physical rehabilitation care for patients who have experienced strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and other conditions that result in permanent or temporary disabilities. Physical rehabilitation allows patients to reach their highest functional independence and return to home, work or school at a faster rate than treatments provided elsewhere.
Unfortunately, A CMS policy, commonly referred to as the "75% Rule", limits access for patients because of a severe restriction imposed by CMS requiring rehab hospitals to only admit patients who are diagnosed with certain medical conditions. This artificial criteria creates an unnecessary admissions "quota system" and causes rehabilitation facilities like Marianjoy to deny or delay a patient admission rather than giving them appropriate access because of medical necessity.
As you are already aware, continued conformity with the 75% Rule continues to move forward. The CMS requirement as of June 1, 2007, is that Marianjoy and other rehabilitation providers be 65% compliant with the Rule. For the last year, we have been attempting to balance the number of qualified patients while attempting to meet the discharge planning needs of patients.
On behalf of your constituents with disabilities, I am asking you to support legislation to protect patient access to inpatient rehabilitation by co-sponsoring House Bill H.R. 1459, or Senate Bill S. 543 to "Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation".
The 75% Rule has forced us to move from concentrating on the selection of patients, who can benefit from rehabilitation services, to the day-to-day mechanics of managing compliance under the Rule.
I urgently ask for your help to resolve this issue. The 75% Rule is not only a problem for Marianjoy but for patients across the country. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[INSERT]
