Sponsors (2)
The bill expands who can prescribe and where Medicare cardiac and pulmonary rehab can be delivered, improving timely access for beneficiaries but likely increasing Medicare costs and raising risks of inconsistent clinical oversight without clear implementation standards.
Medicare beneficiaries (including many people with disabilities) will gain easier access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation because physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists can now prescribe these services, likely reducing wait times and expanding referral options.
Medicare beneficiaries and hospitals/health systems can receive rehab services in more outpatient locations because the bill broadens covered 'office' language to 'office setting,' increasing the number of places patients can get cardiac and pulmonary rehab.
Taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries may face higher Medicare spending (and potentially higher premiums or program costs) because expanding prescriber authority is likely to increase utilization of rehab services.
Medicare beneficiaries could experience variable clinical oversight or inconsistent program quality if expanded prescriber authority is implemented without clear supervision and quality standards for rehab programs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Broadens Medicare definitions to let PAs, NPs, and clinical nurse specialists prescribe cardiac and pulmonary rehab exercise and slightly changes office-setting language for cardiac rehab.
Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand and expedite access to cardiac rehabilitation programs and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.
Introduced December 18, 2025 by Terri Sewell · Last progress December 18, 2025
Expands Medicare definitions to allow more clinicians and settings to prescribe and deliver cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. The bill changes wording in Medicare statute so physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists may prescribe rehabilitative exercise and slightly broadens the allowable "office" setting for cardiac rehabilitation, with changes effective six months after enactment.