As many of us begin thinking about the return to “normal,” the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will affect all of us for years to come. Health care providers are no exception.

For specialty providers such as physical and occupational therapists, the pandemic caused patient volume to plummet. Data shows that physical therapy saw a 34% drop in Medicare spending between January and June 2020, according to the American Physical Therapy Association, while the challenges of safely providing care caused costs to rise.

If that wasn’t bad enough, federal health policy is dealing another blow by advancing devastating Medicare cuts that threaten to limit patient access and harm the sustainability of the health care system.

Legislators must step in to stop more Medicare cuts to specialty care before it’s too late. Health care providers and seniors are counting on them.

Marc Miller,

Buffalo Township