Medicare Home Health Accessibility Act
Sponsored By: Representative Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11]
Introduced
Summary
Expands Medicare home health eligibility to include occupational therapy needs. The bill would add occupational therapy as a qualifying therapy for Medicare-covered home health services alongside physical and speech therapy, with the change taking effect January 1, 2026.
Show full summary
- Medicare beneficiaries and families: People who need occupational therapy could qualify for home health services under Medicare when that need is the basis for eligibility. This can make home-based supports available to more beneficiaries.
- Occupational therapists and home health providers: Occupational therapy would be explicitly recognized in the law as a therapy that supports a beneficiary's eligibility for home health care, allowing providers to serve those patients in home settings starting January 1, 2026.
- Statutory change: The bill amends Parts A and B of the Social Security Act to list occupational therapy alongside physical and speech therapy as a basis for home health eligibility.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Medicare home health if you need occupational therapy
If enacted, a need for occupational therapy would count toward Medicare home health eligibility, alongside speech therapy. You could qualify under Part A or Part B. Home health agencies could provide and bill Medicare for occupational therapy at home. This would apply to services on or after January 1, 2026.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11]
PA • R
Cosponsors
Joyce (PA)
PA • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
TX • D
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]
WV • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Davis (NC)
NC • D
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]
PA • R
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2]
IN • R
Sponsored 4/28/2025
Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15]
OH • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Kelly (PA)
PA • R
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
FL • R
Sponsored 9/17/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 9/23/2025
Wittman
VA • R
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Bresnahan
PA • R
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40]
CA • R
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]
CA • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 11/10/2025
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]
TX • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 12/15/2025
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Messmer
IN • R
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov