Calafell

& Oliva 1
Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015, H.R. 1906

Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015, H.R. 1906

Diana Calafell & Yuliet Oliva

LEI4720-RVC
Dr. Alexi McKenney
October 28, 2015

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Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015, H.R. 1906

The Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015, H.R. 1906 is the effort to recognize the field of
Recreational Therapy as a form of rehabilitation that may be available to patients filing through Medicare
and Medicaid Services. The importance of passing this bill can only be summarized as providing patients
in inpatient rehabilitation facilities the option to receive Recreational Therapy modalities as
recommended by their primary physician. As stated in the bill, intensive and coordinated medical
rehabilitation that is provided in inpatient rehabilitation facilities is critical to Medicare beneficiaries with
injuries, illnesses, disabilities, and chronic conditions in order to return to health, full function,
independent living, and a higher quality of life (Congress, "Text of the Access to Inpatient

Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015").

The sole purpose of Recreational Therapy is restore, remediate, and rehabilitate a
patients level of functioning and independence in life activities, to promote health and wellness
as well as to reduce or eliminate the activity limitations and restrictions to participation in life
situations caused by illness or disabling condition (Congress, "Text of the Access to Inpatient
Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015"). Before bringing this act to congress certain regulations
were set for physicians treating clients in order to determine whether the patient met certain
criteria meeting the intensity of therapy requirements within the inpatient facility. Prior 2010 the
CMS required the application of the Three Hour Rule which required the patients to participate
in the rehabilitation therapy for three hours a day for five consecutive days, or the patient had the
option to participate in the rehabilitation therapy for fifteen hours over the span of a week.
Furthermore, CMS regulations stated that any other therapeutic modalities that were determined
by the physician and the rehabilitation team that may be needed by the patient on a priority basis
would qualify toward satisfaction of the Three Hour Rule (HCFA Ruling 852). This broad
description allowed recreational therapy to satisfy the Three Hour Rule for patients who
required this specific mix of therapies on a priority basis in an inpatient rehabilitation facility

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Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015, H.R. 1906

(Congress, "Text of the Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015"). Thanks to a
regulation (74 Fed. Reg. 39811 (August 7, 2009)) brought upon by the CMS, starting January 1st
2010, the Three Hour Rule was limited to included physical therapy, occupational therapy,
speech therapy, prosthetics, and orthotics as the only forms intensity of therapies.
Some of the benefits that come along with passing the Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015,
H.R. 1906 would be greater recognition for the profession of Recreational Therapy. Recreational Therapy
has holistically shown an improvement of physical, emotional, social, and cognitive functioning in the
lives of its participants. Another key point for this bill to pass would be to attain more sponsors. In order
to achieve that, RT would need more professionals encouraging its positive effects on participants. As
well as the benefits it would bring to facilities who incorporated RT programs in their treatment plans. It
seems to be that the people who could potentially help this bill pass fail to see how passing the bill would
not require any further cost to the federal government. Therapies associated with healthcare therapy
services already have established a payment system in which RT would fit right in.
Currently American therapeutic recreation association (ATRA) is supporting the H.R 1906 and
unfortunately that is not enough. According to congress.gov there is only one cosponsor supporting this
bill. However in their efforts to have this bill passed ATRA has provided contact information and an
email template that can be sent to legislators to ask for support. As the future of recreational therapy we as
students should advocate for the bill by creating blogs, discussion boards, and starting petitions.

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Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015, H.R. 1906

References

Text of the Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2015. (2015, April 21). Retrieved
October 28, 2015, from https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr1906/text
Federal Public Policy. (2015, April 21). Retrieved October 28, 2015, from
https://www.atra-online.com/policy/federal-public-policy