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To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow Medicare beneficiaries to choose their physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and chiropractors.
Summary
This bill amends Medicare law to allow beneficiaries to directly choose their physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists without requiring a referral or prior authorization. The amendments to Section 1802(b) of the Social Security Act expand the existing freedom of choice provisions for Medicare beneficiaries by including these additional provider types alongside physicians and other practitioners. The bill defines "therapist" to include qualified physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists, and "qualified audiologist" as those terms are defined in Medicare law. The changes apply throughout the relevant Medicare provisions to ensure these providers receive the same treatment as physicians and practitioners in terms of beneficiary direct choice. These expanded provider categories would be subject to the same Medicare coverage and payment rules as other providers under the direct choice provisions.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
6 cosponsors
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Lloyd Smucker’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $44,770
- DIRECT WIRE AND CABLE $13,200
- SELECT MEDICAL $11,600
- LANCASTER SCHOOL OF COSMETOLOGY $11,100
- SCENIC RIDGE $8,425
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Lloyd Smucker → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jun 26, 2025 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. · house
- Jun 26, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 26, 2025
Mr. Smucker (for himself and Mr. Davis of North Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow Medicare beneficiaries to choose their physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and chiropractors.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Medicare Patient Choice Act”.
SEC. 2. FREE CHOICE OF THERAPISTS FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES.
Section 1802(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395a(b)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”;
(2) in paragraph (2)(B)—
(A) in clause (i), by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”;
(B) in clause (v), by striking “physicians or practitioners” and inserting “physicians, practitioners, therapists, or qualified audiologists”; and
(C) in the matter following clause (v), by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”;
(3) in paragraph (3)—
(A) in the heading, by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”;
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”;
(C) in subparagraph (B)—
(i) in clause (i), by striking “physician or practitioner” each place it appears and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”; and
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”;
(D) in subparagraph (C)—
(i) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”;
(ii) in clause (i), by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”; and
(iii) in clause (ii), by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”; and
(E) in subparagraph (D), by striking “physician or practitioner” each place it appears and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”;
(4) in paragraph (5)—
(A) in the heading, by striking “physicians and practitioners” and inserting “physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists”;
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking “physicians and practitioners” and inserting “physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists”; and
(C) in subparagraph (B)—
(i) in the manner preceding clause (i), by striking “physicians and practitioners” and inserting “physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists”;
(ii) in clause (iv), by striking “physicians and practitioners” and inserting “physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists”; and
(iii) in clause (v), by striking “physicians and practitioners” and inserting “physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists”; and
(5) in paragraph (6)—
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking “paragraphs
(1), (2), (3), and (4) of”;
(B) in subparagraph (D)—
(i) in the heading, by striking “physician or practitioner” and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”; and
(ii) by striking “physician or practitioner” each place it appears and inserting “physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist”; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
“(E) Therapist.—The term ‘therapist’ means a qualified physical therapist (as such term is used in section 1861(p)), a qualified occupational therapist (as such term is used in 1861(g)), or a qualified speech-language pathologist (as defined in 1861(ll)(4)(A)).
“(F) Qualified audiologist.—The term ‘qualified audiologist’ has the meaning given such term in section 1861(ll)(4)(B).”. <all>
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