Comment on CMS-2026-1256-0002
American Physical Therapy AssociationSupportAdvocacy
Summary: The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) supports the proposed CJR-X model but argues that it is overly physician-focused and fails to adequately capture the critical role of physical therapy in patient recovery. The association recommends several modifications, including expanding the episode scope to include prehabilitation, including Medicare Advantage beneficiaries and Ambulatory Surgical Centers as participants, and providing policy waivers to ensure timely access to therapy.
Please see the attached comment letter on the proposed rule entitled "Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Rates (CMS-1849-P)," submitted on behalf of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).