We have what may be the last chance to get the Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act of 2007 (S 329) into legislation.

In prior emails, we have asked you to write to your legislators for co-sponsorship of this bill. The message has changed – if you previously contacted your legislators, this is a new request. Now we need you to solicit Senator Harkin’s support as a co-sponsor and Senator Grassley’s support as the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee and let them know that you, as a cardiac/pulmonary rehab professional and a constituent, want to continue to have those services available to your patients! Without this legislation, Pulmonary Rehabilitation programs may no longer exist, and Cardiac Rehabilitation programs will continue to exist under the â€incident to” clause which is confusing and contradictory.

If you need more background and understanding, visit Immediate Call for Action 

This Call for Action includes your staff, physicians, patients, administrators, and any other people who are willing to communicate with our legislators to get this bill through.

WHAT ARE MY NEXT STEPS?

1. Contact Senator Grassley by email, fax, or phone. Click here for a sample letter, but please personalize your message. You can copy and paste this into the email link below. If you are calling, ask to speak to Sue Walden and convey the message, or leave a message on her voice mail. The script is included in this attachment.

Email Chuck Grassley, Phone (202) 224-3744, or Fax (202) 224-6020

2. Contact Senator Harkin. Click here for a sample letter, but please personalize your message. You can copy and paste this into the email link below. If you are calling, ask to speak to Janelle and convey the message, or leave a message on her voice mail

Email Tom Harkin, Phone (202) 224-3254, Fax (202) 224-9369

3. Ask your patients to send letters, emails, or phone. Use the “Sample Patient Letter” as your guide. Offer to fax the letter for them. If all they have to do is sign the letter, you’ll get more participation than if you send them home to do it. If you like, you may put out the petition for your patients to sign. We have provided you sample documents that will require very little editing on your part: Patient Letter to Grassley, Patient Letter to Harkin, Petition to Grassley, and Patient Script. Simply fill in the blanks!

KEY POINT TO REMEMBER – THE NUMBER OF CONTACTS OUR SENATORS RECEIVE IS KEY TO THIS BILL BECOMING LAW. RECRUIT EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO FAX, EMAIL, OR CALL THE SENATORS BEFORE THE END OF AUGUST - THE SOONER THE BETTER!!!  When our Medicare Administrative Contractor is implemented less than a year from now, Pulmonary Rehab programs may no longer exist since CMS has refused to issue a National Coverage Determination. This bill will also remove the confusing regulatory environment of “incident to” services for Cardiac Rehab and clearly create it as a specific Medicare benefit.

Questions? Contact Janie Knipper, Susan Siefkas, or Candy Steele. We would rather have lots of questions (there’s no such thing as a “dumb” one) rather than no response from our IACPR members.