# Plain Language Summary: Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023

If you've had a heart attack, heart surgery, or certain heart conditions, your doctor might recommend cardiac rehabilitation—a program that helps you recover through supervised exercise, education, and monitoring. Right now, Medicare (the health insurance program for people 65 and older) covers these programs, but there's a catch: they can only be prescribed and overseen by doctors. This bill expands who can prescribe and manage these rehabilitation programs by allowing physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to do the same work that doctors currently do.

The bill makes two main changes. First, it allows these other healthcare professionals to prescribe and supervise cardiac rehabilitation exercises, not just physicians. Second, it makes the same change for pulmonary rehabilitation programs—similar recovery programs for people with lung conditions like COPD. The bill also clarifies that cardiac rehab can happen in various office settings, not just traditional doctor's offices, which could make these programs more accessible in different locations.

Why does this matter? In many parts of the country, there aren't enough cardiologists or specialists to meet demand, so people have to wait weeks or months to get into rehabilitation programs. By allowing other qualified healthcare professionals to run these programs, more people can access them faster. These professionals are already trained and licensed to provide this type of care in other settings, so the bill essentially removes an unnecessary restriction. The changes take effect on January 1, 2024, meaning Medicare will start covering cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation prescribed by these professionals starting that date.

Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023

Blunt Rochester, Lisa

Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2023 This bill expands certain changes that are scheduled to take effect relating to the coverage of cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under Medicare. Currently, such programs require physician supervision. Effective January 1, 2024, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists may also supervise these programs. The bill allows these practitioners to administer programs in their offices, prepare and sign treatment plans, and prescribe exercise.