The ACC has joined the American Heart Association and other groups in supporting S. 488, recently introduced legislation that would allow non-physician practitioners (physician assistants, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists) to supervise cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs on a day-to-day basis under Medicare.

This bill would not alter the requirement for medical direction of these programs – it would simply allow non-physician practitioners to meet the “direct supervision” requirement, which mandates that either an MD or DO be available and accessible at all times when services are being furnished under these programs.

"We believe current law imposes a more stringent requirement for direct physician supervision for cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation than should be required, making it challenging for cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation programs to operate in areas where physicians are scarce and imposing unnecessary costs in both rural and urban areas," the societies noted.

Keywords: American Heart Association, Medicare, Nurse Clinicians, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Physicians, Societies

< Back to Listings