Sponsors (2)
The bill makes it easier and faster for Medicare patients to get cardiac and pulmonary rehab by expanding who can prescribe and where it can be delivered, but it may raise Medicare costs and create variability in program oversight if implementation standards are not clarified.
Medicare beneficiaries (including people with disabilities) can more readily access cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation because physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists may prescribe exercise-based rehab, which expands referral sources and can reduce wait times to start therapy.
More outpatient locations may qualify to provide cardiac rehab because the bill broadens covered 'office' language to 'office setting,' increasing the places beneficiaries can receive care.
Expanding which clinicians can prescribe rehab is likely to increase utilization of cardiac and pulmonary rehab services and raise Medicare spending, imposing higher costs on taxpayers and potentially increasing beneficiary premiums or program costs.
Allowing a wider range of prescribers without clarifying implementation or supervision standards could produce variable clinical oversight and inconsistent program quality across providers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Expands Medicare rehab definitions to allow PAs, NPs, and clinical nurse specialists to prescribe exercise and slightly broadens the cardiac rehab "office" setting; effective six months after enactment.
Introduced December 18, 2025 by Terri Sewell · Last progress December 18, 2025
Expands who can prescribe exercise for Medicare-covered cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation and slightly broadens where cardiac rehabilitation can occur by changing wording about the office setting. Applies to Medicare definitions in the Social Security Act and takes effect for services furnished six months after enactment.