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Hail to the
Chief!!
Chief!!
MEDICARE RESPIRATORY THERAPY INITIATIVE – BETTER ACCESS, BETTER CARE, LOWER COSTS
AARC is seeking Congressional support of the Medicare Respiratory Therapy Initiative, H.R. 941, by asking
House Members to sign-on as co-sponsors and for Senators to support the bill or introduce a companion bill.
Pulmonary medicine and the delivery of respiratory services have evolved over the years since the Medicare
law was enacted. Services that once could only be provided in an inpatient hospital setting are being
delivered in alternate care sites today. With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listing
chronic lower respiratory diseases as the 3rd leading cause of death in the country, the time has come for
Medicare to recognize the respiratory therapy (RT) profession and the value RTs bring to treating
beneficiaries with chronic lung diseases.
Improving Medicare Beneficiary Access to Respiratory Therapists
The Medicare program today is centered on improving quality care, reducing costly hospital readmissions,
and reducing or eliminating healthcare associated infections. The Medicare Respiratory Therapy Initiative is
designed to address these issues.
• It will amend Medicare Part B to permit advance-level RTs to work under the general supervision of a
physician in the office/practice setting when the RT furnishes a service the physician would otherwise perform
personally. Under current law the physician must be present in the office suite (i.e., direct supervision) when
the RT furnishes the service.
• Medicare beneficiaries suffering from respiratory illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) and asthma will have greater access to the care they need from RTs because the restriction
that the physician be present in the office suite is lifted.
• Physicians will have greater flexibility to see patients outside their office/practice setting, such as in the
inpatient hospital setting.
• Medicare payment to the physician will be less than 100% of the fee schedule amount when the service
is furnished by the RT.
MORBIDITY DATA
Derived from ALA consolidated report May 2011
State Total Population Pediatric Asthma Adult Asthma Chronic Bronchitis
Emphysema 2011COPDMortality 2010COPDMortality Increase2010/2011
Montana 974,989 14,045 61,181 33,877
17,582 5.3% 3.94% 1.34%
Virtual Lobby Week is February 27, 2012. This is a great way for all RT’s in the nation to advocate for their
patient’s and profession! Please visit www.aarc.org during the week of Virtual Lobby Week!
Thank you,
Pattie Polakow
There are currently 9 positions listed on the Job Board! Check them Out!
MONTANA RESPIRATORY
JOB BOARD!!
This new page is only for jobs specific to Montana RT's. Jobs listed here are predominantly
Montana Jobs but may include listings from the region as well. It is FREE! to post your Job
listings on this site if you are a Montana organization.
Please take awhile to look around and become familiar with the site & make sure you visit the Members
Page to sign up For the MSRC e-Newsletter, Guest Book, and view pictures of conventions and other MSRC
happenings.
AARC is seeking Congressional support of the Medicare Respiratory Therapy Initiative, H.R. 941, by asking
House Members to sign-on as co-sponsors and for Senators to support the bill or introduce a companion bill.
Pulmonary medicine and the delivery of respiratory services have evolved over the years since the Medicare
law was enacted. Services that once could only be provided in an inpatient hospital setting are being
delivered in alternate care sites today. With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listing
chronic lower respiratory diseases as the 3rd leading cause of death in the country, the time has come for
Medicare to recognize the respiratory therapy (RT) profession and the value RTs bring to treating
beneficiaries with chronic lung diseases.
Improving Medicare Beneficiary Access to Respiratory Therapists
The Medicare program today is centered on improving quality care, reducing costly hospital readmissions,
and reducing or eliminating healthcare associated infections. The Medicare Respiratory Therapy Initiative is
designed to address these issues.
• It will amend Medicare Part B to permit advance-level RTs to work under the general supervision of a
physician in the office/practice setting when the RT furnishes a service the physician would otherwise perform
personally. Under current law the physician must be present in the office suite (i.e., direct supervision) when
the RT furnishes the service.
• Medicare beneficiaries suffering from respiratory illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) and asthma will have greater access to the care they need from RTs because the restriction
that the physician be present in the office suite is lifted.
• Physicians will have greater flexibility to see patients outside their office/practice setting, such as in the
inpatient hospital setting.
• Medicare payment to the physician will be less than 100% of the fee schedule amount when the service
is furnished by the RT.
MORBIDITY DATA
Derived from ALA consolidated report May 2011
State Total Population Pediatric Asthma Adult Asthma Chronic Bronchitis
Emphysema 2011COPDMortality 2010COPDMortality Increase2010/2011
Montana 974,989 14,045 61,181 33,877
17,582 5.3% 3.94% 1.34%
Virtual Lobby Week is February 27, 2012. This is a great way for all RT’s in the nation to advocate for their
patient’s and profession! Please visit www.aarc.org during the week of Virtual Lobby Week!
Thank you,
Pattie Polakow
There are currently 9 positions listed on the Job Board! Check them Out!
MONTANA RESPIRATORY
JOB BOARD!!
This new page is only for jobs specific to Montana RT's. Jobs listed here are predominantly
Montana Jobs but may include listings from the region as well. It is FREE! to post your Job
listings on this site if you are a Montana organization.
Please take awhile to look around and become familiar with the site & make sure you visit the Members
Page to sign up For the MSRC e-Newsletter, Guest Book, and view pictures of conventions and other MSRC
happenings.
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