U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) recently offered a bipartisan bill that she says will reduce barriers to accessing cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation for people with heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
“This is particularly important in places like West Virginia, where these diseases impact the lives of far too many residents that often face shortages of healthcare professionals,” Sen. Capito said, adding that the legislation “offers solutions to increase the level of health services available to West Virginians and all Americans who need them most.”
Sen. Capito on Feb. 25 sponsored the Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act of 2025, S. 717, with lead original cosponsor U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to expand and expedite access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services by authorizing physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to order cardiac rehabilitation.
Currently, only physicians are authorized to order cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation for Medicare patients, a restriction that the senators said can create unnecessary obstacles, delays, and paperwork before patients can receive their needed services.
“Timely access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation care is critical to improving the lives of Americans with cardiac conditions or recovering from cardiac events, especially in rural areas,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will save lives by expanding which clinicians can refer patients to cardiovascular care so that all seniors can get the care they need in a timely manner.”
The bill has garnered support from several groups, including the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the American Nurses Association, the National Rural Health Association, the American Academy of Physician Associates, and WomenHeart, among others.