Medicare Coverage for Lymphedema Treatment

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Important legislative was introduced this week by Congressman Larry Kissell of North Carolina to help pay for “Lymphedema Treatment” by Medicare. Read more about the bill and how you can help from NLN activist Robert Weis.

Our lymphedema diagnosis and treatment bill has been given a bill number and was introduced yesterday by Congressman Larry Kissell of North Carolina in the House of Representatives as H.R. 4662, the "Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Saving Act of 2010".

The bill has the goal of reducing total healthcare costs through avoidance of periodic infections, pain and disabilities resulting from this medical condition.

The goals of the bill are:
1. To provide diagnosis and treatment of individuals with and at risk for lymphedema according to current medical treatment standards, including manual lymph drainage, compression bandages, garments and devices and exercise;
2. To enhance quality of lymphedema patient care by providing therapist qualification requirements;
3. To provide for lymphedema patient education in the procedures for self-treatment so as to transfer the treatment from the clinical to the home setting;
4. To encourage patient self-treatment plan adherence by providing necessary medical supplies for use at home;
5. To expand patient access to qualified lymphedema therapy by extending coverage to qualified, trained lymphedema therapists who may practice under a qualified physician, physical therapist or occupational therapist.

We have a short window for seeking Congressional Co-Sponsors for this bill. I urge every reader of this notice to write or call your Congressman and urge him/her to co-sponsor H.R. 4662 with Congressman Kissell, and to write or call your Senator to request that they co-sponsor an identical Senate bill.