Points to Include in a SNF PPS Letter to Congress

Dear Senator/Congressman(woman) _________
United States Senate/House _______________________ (for the exact Washington D.C. address of your members please contact your local library or call me, 703-548-8506)
Washington D.C. 20510 (Senate) 20515 (House)

ATTENTION: Health Legislative Assistant

1. In the first paragraph tell who you are, where you work, and the types of respiratory patients that you treat. If you are an educator, indicate how long you have been teaching and point out the complexity of respiratory therapy. In this paragraph indicate that you want your member to provide assistance on a critical Medicare patient care issue.

2. In the second paragraph--in your own words--indicate the following: The Prospective Payment System for Medicare Skilled Nursing Facilities has dramatically reduced reimbursement for SNFs. Because of that reduction some (DO NOT SAY "ALL") SNFs feel the financial pressure to eliminate the use of qualified respiratory therapy providers. There are no minimum competency standards required for nursing home facilities to assure that those providing respiratory therapy have the education, training and competency to do so. Because of the financial incentives and the lack of competency requirements patient safety is at risk. You should include that credentialed respiratory therapists are the only care providers that undergo formal respiratory therapy education and VALID competency testing.

(Please note: for those of you in states that do not have licensure indicate that even this minimal safety net is not there for the patient.)

(Please note: the more you can emphasize that patient safety has been compromized the better. If you have any brief anecdotal stories providing examples of compromized patient care that you feel comfortable including, please do so.)

3. Ask your senator/representative to consider sponsoring legislation that would require minimum competency standards for anyone providing respiratory therapy services to nursing home patients. Also request that they contact AARC Director of Government Affairs Cheryl West at 703-548-8506 to set up a meeting to provide more information.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO:

*include your name, address, phone, Fax, and e-mail address.
*Include the two-page attachment to this memo with your letter
*if it all possible, keep your letter to 1 page
*include "ATTENTION: Health LA" on both the letter and the envelope
*please send me a copy of your letter so that I can follow up with the health staff
(mail to: 1225 King St., 2nd floor, Alexandria, VA 22314, or fax: 703-548-8499)

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