Government Affairs

USRC State Advocacy

H.B. 176 (Signed into law on 3/23/22)

Creates the Utah Health Workforce Advisory Council; requires the council to provide information and recommendations to government entities regarding policy decisions that affect Utah's health workforce; creates the Utah Health Workforce Information Center; requires the information center to conduct research and analyze data regarding Utah's health workforce. The Council's focus is on health workforce supply, employment trends and demands, options for training and education, and developing strategies to address shortages, recruitment, and retention. Two priority groups for data collection have been established. Respiratory care is in the second priority group. After the council approves data to be collected, the department shall request the data from a licensee when a licensee applies for a license or renews the licensee's license.

AARC National Advocacy

AARC Advocacy

H.R. 4932/S. 2741 Creating Opportunities Now for New and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT Act)

H.R. 3637/S. 2747

The Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act

Act Now:

Without additional authority from Congress, CMS has no flexibility to permit permanent continuation of virtual cardiac and pulmonary rehab services to Medicare beneficiaries in their homes once the Public Health Emergency ends on May 11, 2023.

Current waivers under the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) allow cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services to be furnished to patients in their homes as virtual services by physicians or practitioners in a hospital outpatient department through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Without Walls initiative. Under those waivers, respiratory therapists can furnish virtual pulmonary rehab services when an eligible practitioner bills for the service.

Representatives John Joyce (R-PA) and Scott Peters (D-CA) introduced legislation called “the Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act (H.R. 1406)”, which would permanently allow patients to receive in-home cardiac and pulmonary rehab services under Medicare. We need your help to gain co-sponsors for this legislation. Please send this action alert to your representatives to request cosponsors for this important legislation, which will ensure that patients continue to have access to in-home cardiac and pulmonary rehab services once the PHE ends on May 11 2023.

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Thank You

The American Association for Respiratory Care