Medicare Patient Choice Act

This bill lets people on Medicare choose their own physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and chiropractors. It updates Medicare’s “free choice” rules so they name these providers, not just doctors and other practitioners. The bill also spells out who counts as a therapist (physical, occupational, and speech-language) and uses the existing definition of a “qualified audiologist.”

Key points

• Who is affected: People with Medicare, plus physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and chiropractors.
• What changes: The law’s wording is expanded from “physician or practitioner” to also include “therapist” and “qualified audiologist,” and it defines these terms to make patient choice clear.
• When: The text provided does not list an effective date.