On Thursday, October 1, 2015, at 10:00 am, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing, “Examining Potential Ways to Improve the Medicare Program,” that will include the review of three bills that strive to strengthen Medicare. The bills that will be examined include:

• HR 556, the Prevent Interruptions in Physical Therapy Act, which would add physical therapists to the list of providers allowed to transfer care for a Medicare patient in instances of illness, pregnancy, or vacation.

• HR 1934, the Cancer Care Payment Reform Act, which would build on the promise of new provider delivery model development envisioned in the sustainable growth rate replacement policy, enacted into law earlier this year. This bill would establish a national oncology medical home demonstration project to improve Medicare payments for cancer care.

• Draft legislation that would make changes to documentation and face-to-face requirements for home health providers under the Medicare program.