,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #agbe  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #e1      
#bjai,mr4 ,cardin 7for himself and ,mr4 
,young7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,finance  ,a ,,bill  ,to 
permit occupational therapists to       
conduct the initial assessment visit and
 complete the comprehensive assessment  
under a ,medicare home health plan of   
care for certain rehabilitation cases4  
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,medicare ,home ,health         
,flexibility ,act of #bjai4  #b4        
,permitting occupational therapists to  
conduct the initial assessment visit and
 complete the comprehensive assessment  
under a ,medicare home health plan of   
care for certain rehabilitation cases   
7a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding section
 #dhd4ee7;a77#b7 or #dhd4ee7;b77#c7 of  
title #db1 ,code of ,federal            
,regulations1 or any other provision of 
law1 an occupational therapist may be   

designated to conduct the initial       
assessment visit and to complete the    
comprehensive assessment for an         
individual who is eligible for home     
health services under title ,,xviii of  
the ,social ,security ,act if the       
referral order by the physician-- 7#a7  
does not include skilled nursing care2  
7#b7 includes occupational therapy2 and 
7#c7 includes physical therapy or speech
 language pathology4  7b7 ,rule of      
construction ,nothing in subsection 7a7 
shall be construed to provide for       
initial eligibility for coverage of home
 health services under title ,,xviii of 
the ,social ,security ,act solely on the
 basis of a need for occupational       
therapy4