HR 4204

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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>