Caps for Medicare Part B therapy take effect

Therapy caps are in effect after the exceptions process expired last week.

The expiration is not yet a major concern because it will still take some weeks for residents to exceed the caps, noted Lauren Shaham, spokeswoman for the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging late last week.

There is a limit of $1,860 for combined physical and speech pathology therapy, and $1,860 for occupational therapy in 2010, CMS recently disclosed. The Senate healthcare reform bill would extend the exceptions process through the end of 2010. The House package would extend it through 2011. AAHSA is “working toward a swift reinstatement of the exceptions process,” the association said.