Medicare Patient Choice Act

The Medicare Patient Choice Act would amend the Social Security Act to allow Medicare Part B beneficiaries to freely choose among physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and qualified audiologists for covered services. The bill updates the language in Section 1802(b) to replace references to “physician or practitioner” with expanded terms that include physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists in multiple subsections. It also adds formal definitions for “therapist” (covering PT, OT, and SLP) and “qualified audiologist.” The aim is to broaden patient choice and access to therapy and audiology services within Medicare, without specifying changes to coverage or reimbursement levels.