THE AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION, INC. (AOTA) for THE AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION, INC. (AOTA)

Education EDU

No bill#: Support of occupational therapy and early intervening funds included in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Labor, Dept of (DOL); SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Welfare WEL

None

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Labor, Dept of (DOL)

Health Issues HCR

No bill: Advocated regarding the benefits package for exchange health plans. Promoted coverage of occupational therapy and for broad definition of habilitation. No Bill: Advocated for inclusion of occupational theapy as a mental health profession in the National Health Services Corps. S. 1094/H.R. 2005 (PL 112-32) - Combating Autism Reauthorization Act: Advocate for mandatory coverage of occupational therapy services and educate about role of occupational therapy in treatment of autism. S. 850 - Autism Services and Workforce Acceleration Act: Advocate for mandatory coverage of occupational therapy services and educate about role of occupational therapy in treatment of autism. No bill #s-developing legislation on autism: Advocate for mandatory coverage of occupational therapy services and educate about role of occupational therapy in treatment of autism. No bill # - Advocate to elevate the Chief of the Medical Specialist Corps to the rank of Brigadier (1 star) General under the Army Medical Specialist Corps. No bill #: Educate members about role of occupational therapy in the effective provision of telehealth services. No bill #: Advocate for legislative proposal to recognize occupational therapy as a core mental health profession in federal law. No bill: Advocated with Dept of Health and Human Services and Center for Disease Control regarding role of occupational therapy in fall and injury prevention.

Contacted: SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Bills named: H.R. 2005 (112th), S. 1094 (112th), S. 850 (112th)

Veterans VET

No bill #: Educate Congress regarding occupational therapy's role working with soldiers coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues to maximize their functional performance and fully reintegrate into their lives at home and in their communities.. S. 957, H.R. 1855: Veterans' Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitative Services' Improvement Act of 2011 - educate about the important role of occupational therapy in treating these conditions and helping our wounded warriors maximize their functional reintegration into their lives, homes, and communities. Inclusion of occupational therapy as a covered service, and passage. H.R. 1832: Service Members' Telemedicine and E-Health Portability Act of 2011 - educate about occupational therapy's role in the effective provision of telehealth serivces. Inclusion of occupational therapy as a covered service, and passage.

Contacted: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE

Bills named: S. 957 (112th), H.R. 1855 (112th), H.R. 1832 (112th)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

S.829/H.R. 1546: Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2011 - advocate for removal of cap on occupational therapy services and passage of bills. No bill: Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR) policy - advocated for separation of occupational therapy from physical therapy/speech language pathology in applicaiton of MPPR policy. No bill: Advocated for exclusion of occuaptional therapy from any additional accreditation requirements for provision of orthotics/prosthetics. H.R. 2468: Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act - advocate for making occupational therapy an initiating service. No bill#: Medicare Physician Fee Schedule - oppose cuts to therapy services and advocate to identify alternative payment options for therapy services. H.R. 2499:Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Savings Act. Lymphedema treatment for Medicare beneficiaries - advocate for role of occupational therapy in lymphedema treatment under Medicare and support passage.. No bill #: Suport proposal for legislation to create new complex rehabilitation device benefit. Promote role of occupational therapy. H.R. 2785: Athletic Trainers Equal Access to Medicare Act - oppose.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 2468 (112th), S. 829 (112th), H.R. 2785 (112th), H.R. 2499 (112th), H.R. 1546 (112th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

S.868/H.R. 1683: State Flexibility Act - opposed elimination of the Medicaid Maintenance of Effort provisions in ARRA & ACA.. Provided information to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction highlighting need to address Medicare extenders, particularly the Medicare Part B Therapy Caps. No bill#: General support of health and mental health programs funding, including funding for Health Resources and Services Administration and National Institutes of Health, funding for education and training for occupational therapy; and funding for disability and rehabilitation research.

Contacted: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Bills named: H.R. 1683 (112th), S. 868 (112th)

Insurance INS

No bill: Advocated for coverage of occupational therapy under the required rehabilitation, habilitation and devices category of exchange plans. PL 111-148 - Affordable Care Act: Advocate for occupational therapy coverage under employer based insurance plans; relay concerns about inadequate survey and resulting plan done by Dept of Labor for part on therapy services. Advocate for inclusion f occupational therapy coerage in essential benefits package and for appropriate structure of Accountable Care Organizations, and payment reform.

Contacted: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Labor, Dept of (DOL); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

S. 786 - Advocate to elevate the Chief of the Medical Specialist Corps to the rank of Brigadier (1 star) General under the Army Medical Specialist Corps H.R. 531 - Access to Frontline Health Act: Advocate for passage to provide loan repayments to occupational therapists in exchange for providing services for 2 years in designated scarcity area and to address health care workforce shortages.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Labor, Dept of (DOL); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE

Bills named: S. 786 (112th), H.R. 531 (112th)

Medical/Disease Research/Clinical Labs MED

No bill #: Advocate for disability and rehabilitation prioirities of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, espcially regarding comparative effectiveness research. Advocate for elevation of the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research within the National Institutes of Health.

Contacted: Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Labor, Dept of (DOL); SENATE; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)