SENIOR ASSEMBLY FEDERAL PROPOSAL NO. 11

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBERS SHONTZ AND GOULD

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AFP 11: MEDICARE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, THE FEDERAL MEDICARE PROGRAM REQUIRES A PATIENT WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE TO RENEW A PRESCRIPTION FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY EVERY 30 TO 90 DAYS.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EXTEND THE PHYSICAL THERAPY PRESCRIPTION REVIEW AND RENEWAL PERIOD FOR A PATIENT WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE FROM EVERY 30 TO 90 DAYS TO, INSTEAD, EVERY 30 DAYS UP TO 180 DAYS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PATIENT’S PHYSICIAN.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

AFP 11: RELATING TO MEDICARE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE

WHEREAS, PARKINSON’S DISEASE IS A PROGRESSIVE DISORDER OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM; AND

WHEREAS, PARKINSON’S DISEASE IS A NONRECOVERABLE DEGENERATIVE DISEASE; AND

WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL PARKINSON’S FOUNDATION AND THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS, THERE ARE 500,000 TO 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE; AND

WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN PARKINSON’S DISEASE ASSOCIATION, THE FREQUENCY OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE IS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER IN PEOPLE OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE, THOUGH DIAGNOSIS OF THE DISEASE IN YOUNGER PATIENTS HAS INCREASED ALARMINGLY; AND

WHEREAS, PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE NEED PHYSICAL THERAPY TO SLOW THE RATE OF MUSCULAR DETERIORATION AND TO MANAGE THE PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE; AND

WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO PARKINSON’S DISEASE SUPPORT GROUPS, WHILE PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE DO NOT RECOVER FROM THE DISEASE, IN MOST CASES THEY BENEFIT BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY FROM PLANNED REGULAR PHYSICAL THERAPY SESSIONS; AND

WHEREAS, THE HEALTH AND BODY TONE OF PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE WHO ARE UNABLE TO RECEIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY WILL DETERIORATE MORE RAPIDLY AND RESULT IN AN INCREASED INABILITY OF THE PATIENTS TO FUNCTION NORMALLY; AND

WHEREAS, THE RENEWAL OF PHYSICAL THERAPY PRESCRIPTIONS UNDER THE FEDERAL MEDICARE PROGRAM UNNECESSARILY INCONVENIENCES PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE; AND

WHEREAS, EXTENDING THE PHYSICAL THERAPY PRESCRIPTION REVIEW AND RENEWAL PERIOD FOR PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE TO UP TO 180 DAYS WILL GREATLY REDUCE MEDICARE COSTS BY DECREASING THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED BILLABLE VISITS TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2012 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE MEDICARE BENEFIT POLICY MANUAL BE CHANGED TO EXTEND THE PHYSICAL THERAPY PRESCRIPTION REVIEW AND RENEWAL PERIOD FOR A PATIENT WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE FROM EVERY 30 TO 90 DAYS TO, INSTEAD, EVERY 30 DAYS UP TO 180 DAYS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PATIENT’S PHYSICIAN; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON AGING, AND TO EACH SENATOR AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.

- 0 -

RN 12 16499