July 2008

Dear APTA member:

Please join me in taking a few moments to celebrate a tremendous victory. By now you may be aware that Congress voted overwhelmingly yesterday to override President Bush’s veto and enact HR 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act—legislation that, among its many provisions, restores the exceptions process for the Medicare therapy cap and prevents devastating cuts in Medicare payments to physical therapists and other providers. The votes taken Tuesday simply could not have been more important to physical therapists and the patients we serve. Without enactment of this law, it is likely that thousands of Medicare beneficiaries would have been denied access to the physical therapy services they need, and hundreds of physical therapists would have had to consider closing their practices.



I can’t tell you how proud I am to be part of an Association that worked so tirelessly to pass this legislation and keep its members informed during a process with countless ups and downs. This success would have been impossible without the amazing grassroots advocacy efforts of APTA members like you who took time away from their practices to contact members of Congress and talk with their patients about getting involved. Since June 1, APTA members sent more that 12,300 e-mails through APTA’s Legislative Action Center and more than 6,200 e-mails from patients were sent through the Patient Action Center on APTA’s Consumer Web site. As usual, APTA staff did an unbelievable job—from Justin Moore, Rachel Reiter, Mike Matlack, Shay Rogers, and the Government and Payment Advocacy unit to staff in Communications, Web Services, Information Technology, Member Services, and Component Services, everyone put in countless hours and tireless efforts to give APTA members up-to-the-moment, accurate information to manage this difficult situation.



I am constantly amazed by the dedication, determination, and commitment of the members and staff of this Association to the advancement of our profession and the care of the patients we serve. I’ve never been more proud to be an APTA member than I am today. I hope you can find a moment or two to celebrate this wonderful victory with your patients and your colleagues—and thank you for making it possible through your membership and participation in APTA.



Sincerely,

R Scott Ward, PT, PhD

President